Heart at War
by enigma013
Summary: AJ couldn't stop Klaus at the sacrifice, and now she's stuck with him, bending his rules as she tries to hold on to her old self. How will she fare being away from Elijah, and being tempted on a daily basis by her own personal monster known as Klaus?
1. Where We Lost Our Southern Comfort

**Heart at War**

**A/N: Hello! So this is the beginning of my sequel to The Darkness Within. I'm spending more time on chapters (and a tooon on my own original work, so I'm sorry if this interferes), so please enjoy, and leave a review!**

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><p><strong>One<strong>

The Tennessee night was hot and humidy, filled with the sounds of cooing owls and restless dogs. Crickets chirped rhythmically in unison, precluding any silence from stretching out for too long. The smell of fresh, country air was almost liberating, but the sight of a waxing gibbous overhead made AJ feel chained down once more. She knew why they were here. With a sense of dread, she leaned against the dark SUV, closing her eyes. If she could pretend she was outside and just enjoying the night for a little while, she would. Her mind needed that kind of escape from her nightmarish reality.

A screen door creaked open and closed. Footsteps padded softly on the worn wood of the front porch, illuminated in the bright yellow lights fastened to the grey siding. AJ snapped open her eyes worriedly and peeked around the corner of the large vehicle. It was shrouded by the dense brush on the other side of a country house, hidden perfectly.

"Rudy!" a girl called out, and her voice echoed in the air. She brought two fingers to her lips and whistled loudly as she hopped off the porch. "Rudy? Come on! It's too hot to make me come looking for you," she said wearily as she bent to pick up the dog's leash. It jingled in her hands as she turned around, and then she started. Holding a hand to her heart, she regarded the stranger before her warily.

"I am so sorry," Klaus said in his best Northerner accent, "I didn't mean to scare you."

She looked at him cautiously. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah," he said with a kind smile, "My car ran out of gas a few miles back. I feel like I've been walking forever—your house is the first I've come to, so I was just hoping I could use your phone."

"Don't you have a cell phone?" she asked pointedly. She looked young, as young as the other girls or guys had been. Not again, AJ thought, pressing her lips together. Please Klaus. Not again.

"Yeah," Klaus answered sheepishly, pulling his cell phone out of his back pocket and waving it in the air. "Battery died."

The girl looked at him guardedly, pursing her lips.

"Look," Klaus said, "I promise I'm not a serial killer, I just want to use your phone."

She looked at him dubiously again, and then sighed lightly. "Sure," she said, turning around towards the house.

"So," Klaus smiled, trailing after her, "I can come in?"

She stopped before the porch steps. "No, I'll get the phone and bring it out to you."

Klaus glowered at this. "And I thought you country folk were supposed to be more trusting," he said in his native accent.

The young girl smirked. "I'm from Florida."

"Oh, that explains it." Klaus rushed at her, gripping her by the throat.

AJ steadied a hand on the car, but she couldn't look away. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't. It was her rule. If she couldn't stop it, then she didn't deserve to be any less tormented than they were. And yet, she could never truly feel their pain. The nightmares might be vivid, but they weren't real. They weren't truly pain.

"Now," Klaus said darkly, catching the young girl's eyes with his, "Show me a little southern hospitality, sweet pea."

AJ frowned as the girl led him into the house, and they disappeared from sight. She was too young, she thought wretchedly. She was too young to have to go through this. That poor girl didn't deserve it. Her heart was sore from all the grief she'd felt in the past several months. It was almost overbearing, and yet somehow it never overcame her wholly and completely like she'd expect it to. She wondered if it was her Warrior blood that kept her strong. She despised that blood. Anything that even remotely related to Klaus in some way she despised.

Leaning back against the truck again, she scanned the surroundings for anything that could serve as a distraction. There wasn't another house for miles, and the rest of the land was covered in darkness broken only by patches of moonlight here and there. Creatures of the night moved in the shadows, stalking prey as natural instinct guided them to. But AJ would never have to worry about those kinds of creatures like some humans did. They were like puppies compared to the creatures of the night she had to fret over. She thought if she squinted, she could see some kind of big creature out in the distance. But it wasn't moving. A deer grazing, maybe? She supposed it didn't matter. Nothing really did.

Off to her right, at least ten feet away, stood Stefan. He was as stiff as a statue as usual, unblinking and impassive. He had barely spoken two words to her in months, and she knew now wouldn't be the time to strike up a conversation. Not when Klaus had him put to work. But what could she really say to him, anyway? She stared at him sadly, wishing for the entire world that things could go back to the way they used to be. Back to the days when Stefan and Elena had been together, and their only problem had really been Damon. Heck, she'd even take all the trouble Katherine had given them over this new form of Hell. Even if that meant she would have never met Elijah. At least he'd be all right somewhere. But she didn't know how he was, or what he was doing. It was because of her failure at the sacrifice, and she knew it. He was alive, but she couldn't be with him. The price she had to pay for her failure.

One moment Stefan had been standing perfectly still, and the next he'd vanished. He had to go to fulfill his obligation to Klaus, she presumed. AJ often pondered if some part of Stefan actually enjoyed it. Once, she'd seen his action first-hand. The way the body fell apart as if it were a puzzle piece instead of something that'd once been alive and human had been the most grotesque thing she'd ever witnessed. And that'd been the first time she ever felt true fear. Not just fear for someone else, but fear for herself.

Here she was, standing half-alive because part of her soul was somewhere else when it truly belonged right by her side, and she was surrounded by a ripper vampire and another one hell-bent on creating more of himself. There was no one looking out for her. There was no one to turn to. As far as she knew, her life itself had ended the night Klaus had taken her from Mystic Falls, against her own volition. She'd never felt right, since then. The only thing that _did_ feel right was knowing that her friends were alive; that her love was alive. That was just enough to get through the dreadful days.

With a tiny frown she rubbed absently at the two round scars on her neck from when Klaus's vampire Jenkins had viscously bit her. Although Klaus had healed her when she'd been far from able to ward him off, the scars stayed pale and bleak. Bleak like the way life was now. Constant reminders like that could be spotted in the smallest things.

She briefly wondered if this was what depression felt like: wanting so badly to be free of these dark feelings, to feel something other than this, but too broken beyond repair to grasp at her old self and hold on for all she was worth. Optimistic, loving, and determined AJ seemed dead and gone, locked away somewhere she didn't have a key to. In her place was one full of hopeless desperation to stop the pain constantly inflicted upon others by the two monsters that wouldn't let her out of their grasp; a feeling of wanting to feel that pain that was so intense, it engulfed her thoughts and made her hands shake. Because she knew in the truest of truths, all of this was really her fault. She was the Warrior—she had been _meant _to stop Klaus—and she had failed.

Speak of the devil, and he will appear. Perhaps it worked for thinking, as well. AJ peeked around the side of the SUV once more just as Klaus stepped out the front door alone. He pulled it shut behind him, and there was a ghost of a smile on his lips. The gravel crunched under his shoes as he made his way back to the SUV. AJ spun back around and faced towards the small patch of forest again, crossing her arms over her chest. He rounded the side of the SUV and stopped, leaning with one arm against it.

"You were welcome to join us, you know," he said, smiling crookedly.

AJ wanted to scratch that stupid look off his face. She glowered at him. "Really? There's something you'd let me do other than stand around pointlessly, watching as you play with every victim before they're inevitably torn apart by Stefan? I'm shocked. You're fake accent sucks, by the way. It needs some major work."

Klaus's smile diminished. "You don't have to be so intolerable. I let you try it your way once, if you choose to remember."

AJ cringed, looking away. Images were drudged up in her mind's eye, austere and ugly. "And it still ended with Stefan ripping them apart. Why let me try if you were only planning on doing the same to them?"

He shrugged, glancing up at the moon. "You asked. I thought it could work, and it did. But you forget that we can't leave anyone behind. They'd only hinder us in the future."

AJ shook her head from side to side, clenching her fists. "There is no 'us', Klaus. I'm not helping you. And you could have left them behind—you could have compelled them to forget! Why won't you do that? Why leave bodies behind—signs that we were here?"

Klaus sighed lightly, looking at her sideways. "I gave you the choice to leave or stay. You chose to stay. If not to help me, then why would you stay?"

AJ's mouth tightened into a hard line. "You ignored my question," she pointed out irritably.

"Just as you're ignoring mine," he said simply. "It seems we have some things in common, you and me."

AJ's teeth ground together. She met his eyes with intense hatred. "There is nothing even remotely similar about us," she spat. Suddenly she flinched as a blood-curling scream rang off from the house, echoed by another from a different person. She closed her eyes miserably. So there wasn't just the one girl. She knew how creative Stefan could get when there was more than one.

Klaus was unbothered. "You can tell yourself that, if you like. You can try to force yourself to believe it. But as usual, you deny what is so very clear."

"Nothing is clear anymore," AJ said quietly. She kept her eyes shut, praying that their screaming would end; that they would no longer be in pain. "I don't understand things I once knew perfectly."

Klaus studied her features scrupulously. There were dark circles under her eyes as usual, only they were even darker than the day before. "And these things being?" he inquired.

She opened her eyes slowly, letting him see her misery bare and unmasked. He deserved to know what he did to her. He deserved so much worse than that, and yet that was all she could do at the time. She had no weapon, nothing to physically harm him. But she could get under his skin as much as he could get under hers. "Me," she said finally. "I don't understand me. I don't understand you. And I sure as hell don't understand what you've made Stefan into. That's not him in there—that's you compelling him, isn't it?"

Klaus was expressionless. "He is not compelled, I can assure you. It's of his own will to go and do as Itell him. He could stop if he wanted to, but I don't think he does. That's something you must accept, AJ. The Stefan you knew and the Stefan he really is are two completely different things."

She shook her head defiantly. "That's not Stefan. That's not who he really is. But it's the way he has to be, to pay the price for saving Damon. You've forced him to be that way, whether you compelled him or not."

Klaus shifted, looking down at her. Even in her brown boots, she was at least a foot shorter than him. "You will understand things someday," he said quietly. "When you choose to accept the reality instead of escape inside that head of yours, you will understand."

AJ laughed flatly. "That's what you said to me the night you took me from Mystic Falls. It's been months, Klaus. How long will 'someday' take, do you think?"

"How long are you going to mope and dwell upon the fact that Elijah isn't coming for you?" Klaus countered harshly. "He can't rescue you, since it seems you don't want rescue. But he can't come anywhere near me, and you know that. Why stay here and torment yourself when you could be with him, somewhere?"

AJ gaped at him, blinking. A thousand tiny knives jabbed at her heart in that moment, and it felt so overwhelmed that she really thought it would explode. Elijah's face imprinted inside her head; his warm liquid brown eyes, his beautiful smile, the noble way with which he did everything. It had been a barrier she built up over the course of several weeks after she'd been in Klaus's company, and one that he had not attempted to besiege until now. Not once had Elijah's name been uttered; the danger of it had been very clear. She couldn't stand being away from him. She couldn't stand the fact that that was the way things had to be. AJ was treading icy ground, and it was beginning to shatter under her; crack and split open with an inexorable force. The sides of her vision faded into black, in and out, and she felt dizzy and surreal. She swayed on her feet.

"AJ," Klaus said quietly. He reached out to keep her on her feet, but she jerked away from him and stumbled against the truck.

"Do not," she whispered, "Do not _ever_ touch me. How could you bring that up? How _dare_ you?" She breathed in and out, her chest heaving, but she felt like she couldn't get enough air. The walls she'd built up were now turning on her, compressing her lungs and making her feel numb. She pinched her eyes shut and focused on pushing it all back down. Think of Elena. Think of Damon, or Bonnie, or Caroline. Focus on them, she thought. And she did, picturing all of them perfectly in her head, happy and alive without a worry. She tucked her mental picture of Elijah in the back of her mind, safe where it always was. She reconstructed the barrier and made it steel and impervious. No one could get to that part of her.

She opened her eyes now, breathing in and out slowly. Klaus had not moved from his position. His eyes, as usual, looked black in the night. They were glued to her, but completely emotionless.

"You're a heartless bastard," she said quietly.

"And you are so ignorant that it's pitiful."

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. "Then please," she snapped, "give me whatever knowledge you think I need to have. Apparently no one else can. It's not like I ever get to see anyone else, anyway."

Klaus shook his head. "I gave you a choice. You chose to stay. Why? Why stay if you are this unhappy? If you do not think you can see anyone?"

"Because," she said angrily, "Do you think I _can_ see anyone? Do you really think I'm stupid enough to go and try to find Elijah? Because I know what'll happen the moment I do. I know what you'll do to him. So being away from him is the only way I can make sure that he's safe, one-hundred percent. I don't care if I'm miserable. I just want to know that he's alive."

Klaus's eyes darkened. "And what makes you think I'd kill him? Oh—because you stupidly brought him back when he was perfectly dead? You have no idea what you did, AJ. Not a clue. And stop with the high-and-mighty 'being away from him is the only way I can make sure he's safe'. Do you want to know something? He doesn't care about you. He doesn't love you. And yet, you continue to believe the illusion he created for you. You're pitiful."

"_You_ are pitiful. You just don't believe in love. It's sad, Klaus, to know that you'll never feel what love is like. So go ahead and say whatever you like to make my faith in Elijah break, but it never will."

Klaus opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped himself. He tensed slightly, and AJ realized why.

Stefan had returned. The screaming had ceased. Even the crickets, which had been so perfect in harmony, had quit chirping.

Stefan looked between AJ and Klaus, his brow furrowed slightly. "Has something happened?"

Klaus didn't acknowledge him. His eyes stayed on AJ, who was staring back at him.

"No," AJ said emotionlessly. "Nothing's happened." She flicked her gaze over to Stefan, realizing that that had been the first time in over a month he'd said anything to her, even if it hadn't been directly meant for her. His dark clothes seemed void of any blood, although she couldn't be sure. She often wondered how he managed to stay so neat, and then knew not to dwell on that any further. The steps Stefan took to stay neat and tidy while his prey was ripped apart limb by limb was not pleasant imagery.

"I see," Stefan said slowly. His eyes met AJ's, and then quickly averted to Klaus. "They're taken care of. I did exactly as you asked."

Klaus didn't move. "Good," he said, "It seems we will be finding our pack of wolves very soon, then."

"They gave you a place?" Stefan inquired. He looked dubiously between Klaus and AJ once more.

Klaus nodded briskly, tearing his gaze away from AJ to regard Stefan. "He's in Georgia."

Stefan nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Now."

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><p>SOUTHERN COMFORT. Really, the sharp square angles of the building and the bareness of the surroundings made AJ feel anything but comfortable. But hey, some people liked the emptiness. Emptiness left room for things to fill it with, whatever things they might be.<p>

She stared sullenly out the window. Her hand was propped up on her chin, and her eyes didn't hold much interest as they took in the sign that stretched across the top of the lone building they were parked at. There was a guitar situated in between the two words, making her raise an eyebrow. She really did miss her guitar. But other things had taken its place, at Klaus's expense. With all their driving around, she'd had to find something to fill her time with. That way it wouldn't be so empty. Although seeing Klaus in a Michael's art store had been a very interesting sight.

AJ focused on what was going on. In the two front seats, Klaus and Stefan were shoving open their car doors. She sighed wearily and moved to join them outside. There were actually several other cars in the parking lot, evidence that it wasn't the lonely bar she made it out to be in her head. The prospect of seeing other people that wouldn't die horrifically was enough to make her want to go in, rather than wait in the car. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over one shoulder, and then followed the two vampires to the doors in silence.

It was loud. There were people everywhere; sitting in booths or high top tables, up at the bar, playing darts or pool. Eclectically framed pictures hung on the majority of the walls, filling up every gap with some remembrance of someone's life. There was a small stage set up on the far end, complete with acoustic guitars, acoustic-electrics, microphones, and several amps. It looked like a live performance was getting ready to play. AJ eyed it with curiosity, but her attention returned to Klaus just as quickly.

His eyes scanned the room quickly until they stopped; landing on a man who'd just approached the bar. Several people had stopped him on his way, speaking amicably to him. That must be Ray, she thought. The name had become familiar to her once she'd heard it several dozen times as Klaus interrogated person after person for his whereabouts. It seemed all the time they'd spent looking finally paid off.

Klaus turned to Stefan. "You know what to do," he said, and then headed off towards the bar. Stefan immediately turned and began talking to the other patrons of the bar. Neither one of them had spared a glance back at her, so she followed Klaus. As she did, she realized Stefan wasn't only speaking to the other people at the bar—he was compelling them. She saw the way he caught their eyes and directed them. What little spirit she had instantly fell. Maybe they weren't dying horrific deaths, but it wasn't fair that they had to be manipulated.

Before Klaus reached presumed Ray, AJ made a last minute decision to keep her distance. She settled herself on a bar stood and propped her backpack up on another, staring at them attentively. If she could help it, she wouldn't be associated with Klaus. His intentions weren't exactly clear to her, and she knew that his actions could run the gamut of basically anything.

Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she prayed that no blood would be spilled. No more pain and agony. No games, no torture. Please let Ray be wise and cooperative, for his own sake. Or really, please let this person actually be Ray.

"Hey Walton," Ray said, placing a hand on the bar, "Can I get a beer?"

Walton, the bartender shining up some glasses with a cloth, nodded. As he turned to grab Ray's drink, Klaus approached the bar slickly, bracing his arm on it.

"Ray," he said without preamble, "Ray Sutton?"

Ray stared warily at Klaus. When his drink came, he grabbed it and took a swig. "Who wants to know?"

Klaus smiled disarmingly at him. "I've been looking everywhere for you," he said as he grabbed a stool and took a seat. Ray looked dubious. "We started in Florida—Pensacola—I met a young chap there who you worked for before you moved to Memphis. Now he directed me to two _lovely_ young women, and they led me here. To you."

Ray frowned. He fished his wallet out of his back pocket and set a couple of bills on the bar. "I think I'll be going," he said and began walking past Klaus.

Klaus stood quickly, putting a hand on Ray's chest and pushing him back. "Not so fast, mate," he said. "You just got here. Now your type is very hard to come by."

Ray scowled at Klaus. He turned on his heel to get away, but Stefan appeared in front of him. He pushed Ray back to the bar.

"I wouldn't do that," Stefan said, giving Ray a hard look.

Ray looked between the two, suddenly nervous. "Vampires," he stated, knowing now that it was true.

Klaus leered at him. "You're very swift Ray." Klaus reached over and picked up Ray's discarded beer, claiming it as his own. "Yes, my friend here is a vampire, and he's compelled everyone in the bar, so don't look to them for any help."

AJ bit her lip nervously. Ray furtively glanced around, and caught her eye. He raised an eyebrow. Klaus glimpsed to where Ray was looking and sighed exaggeratedly. "Yes, the girl is not compelled. But I wouldn't look to her for any help, either. You aren't exactly . . . her type. Anyway, _I_ am something else. A different kind of monster. I've got some vampire. I've got some wolf."

"You what?" Ray asked incredulously.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "A hybrid, Ray. I'm both. You see," Klaus said, getting into Ray's face, "I want to create more of me. Now you being the first werewolf I've come across in many a moon, pun intended Ray," Klaus chuckled darkly, "I need you to direct me to your pack."

Rays mouth tightened, and he was uneasy. He glanced between Stefan and Klaus fearfully.

"So," Klaus drew out the word, "Where can I find them, Ray?"

Ray clenched his teeth together, but moisture began to gather on his brow. He met Klaus's eyes. "You can't compel me. It won't work."

Stefan gave Klaus a pointed look, raising his eyebrows. Klaus sat back on a stool, lounging, as Stefan turned to the bartender. "I need a scotch over rocks, please," he said, and then turned back to Ray. Clearing his throat, he pulled out a small leather pouch and undid it. "Tell you what, Ray. We're going to play a little drinking game." He poured some of the substance out into his hand, holding it up in the air. "I like to call it truth, or wolfsbane."

Ray looked at Stefan's hand with uncertainty. Klaus smiled wickedly. "Well, this is going to be fun, Ray."

It wasn't long before screams of aguish filled the bar. Stefan had Ray literally pinned to the wall that had the dartboard. Darts stuck out of him in various places, the tips saturated with the wolfsbane. Blood dripped from his wounds, and some had already dried. A dart sticking out of his forehead was particularly doing damage, and the blood wouldn't stop trickling down the side of his face. Ray twisted and howled in pain as Stefan dipped another dart into the mix of scotch and wolfsbane, spinning it around. Klaus was lounging back in a chair with a small smile playing at his lips as he watched Ray struggle.

AJ had never felt sicker to her stomach. She'd had to take her sketchbook out of her bag to keep her thoughts preoccupied, but her rules kept her from leaving the place altogether. Seeing this side of both Stefan and Klaus was unnerving, and she couldn't stop glancing up at them furtively. Maybe that was the inspiration for her newest drawing.

Stefan brought the dart out of the glass and walked around a table. Lifting his hand, he threw the dart with perfect precision so that it stuck into Ray's neck. Ray howled again with pain, writhing back and forth.

"Ray," Stefan said, and much to AJ's disturbance, he sounded more like Damon at the time. He stepped up to Ray, plucking the dart out of his neck, enticing another howl of pain. "You can end this right now. Just tell me where your pack gathers for the full moon."

Ray panted, his breathing raggedly, as he clenched his teeth together. "I can't."

"I know, I know, you live by a code and all that," Stefan said peevishly, "But, see he's not going to let me stop. Not until you tell me. And I do whatever he says; that's the way it goes around here."

Klaus became more attentive when a dark hair girl approached him. AJ glanced up from her drawing curiously.

"Hello, Mr. Klaus," the girl said robotically. She leaned in to talk to him, and AJ could no longer make out what she was saying. It seemed that Stefan was curious as well.

Stefan stepped up to Klaus, his attention rapt. "My brother's still on our trail?"

AJ's eyes widened at this. Since when had Damon been tracking their movements? Sure it probably wasn't hard to figure out where they've been, considering the body count, but she hadn't expected him to be stupid enough to interfere with Klaus. It was dangerous since Elena was alive. Wait—would Elijah be with him?

"He's been getting closer," Klaus said unhappily, "And I'm going to have to deal with that."

"No," Stefan said, catching Klaus before he moved past. "Let me handle it."

AJ's eyes widened even more, and she nearly dropped her pencil. Klaus raised an eyebrow, turning back to Stefan. "Why should I let you leave?" he asked in an amused tone.

"Because you know I'll come back," Stefan said, meeting his eyes.

Klaus was no longer amused. "Do I?"

"You saved my brother's life. I'm in your service."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "It all sounds so tedious and indentured. Aren't you having the least bit of fun?" he smiled, gesturing at Ray.

Stefan glanced at Ray, uninterested. "I'll make sure that my brother doesn't bother us anymore," he said matter-of-factly. He moved to pass Klaus, but AJ spoke up.

"Wait," she said, closing the drawing book and setting it on the table as they both regarded her. She looked at Klaus. "Can I go with him?"

Klaus looked her over. Stefan met her eyes, and they held some kind of emotion in them. She couldn't understand what he wanted her to see, though.

"No," Klaus said, "You cannot. Do you think I'd actually send the two of you off, together? You will stay here, AJ."

AJ frowned. She wanted so badly to see Elijah. Just a glimpse of him would be enough. And then her friends; she really wanted to see her friends again. Not seeing Elena was driving her crazy. But if she couldn't go with Stefan, then how else was she supposed to make certain that he hadn't truly fallen off the wagon? Would he really hurt Damon, or kill him? The fact that she had serious doubts about the whole thing triggered fear to pit in her stomach. And the most pressing question was: was Elijah with Damon? Was he looking for her?

"Klaus—please? It's not like we're going to take off—we'll come right back," she said reasonably.

Klaus smirked. "And just why should _you_ leave in the first place?"

"Because I need some peace of mind!" she argued, feeling the edge of her ability to keep herself together draw near. "I need to get a break, just for a little while. Klaus, I'm begging you."

Klaus frowned at this. He nodded at Stefan, allowing him to leave. Stefan gave AJ a look as he walked out, but it was one she couldn't read. She couldn't read anything off of him, being the way he was now. He vanished a second later.

She looked at Klaus miserably. "Screw you," she spat. She quickly grabbed her sketchbook and shoved it into her backpack, then threw it over her shoulder. Headed towards the doors leading outside, she clenched and unclenched her hands, breathing in and out.

Klaus stared after her a minute, and then went to Ray. "I'll be just a moment, chap," he said, patting the side of Ray's face roughly. "Be good and stay here, hmm? You even think about trying to get free, and I can promise that things will get much worse than what they've been." Ray trembled in fear, saying nothing.

Klaus spun on his heel and trailed after AJ, who'd already left the bar. He pushed through the main doors leading outside. Night had fallen, and in this part of the county, the stars were bright and plenty. Crickets chirped, steadying their music like a heartbeat. Two large light poles loomed up over the ground, casting harsh white light onto it. He spotted AJ walking purposefully on the dirt road, passing under one of the lights.

"AJ," he called after her as he walked that way, "AJ, stop."

AJ ignored him as her strides grew bigger. There wasn't much light far off in the distance, but she didn't care. The moon was plenty bright to help her find her way. Her mouth was pulled into a tight line and her eyes were hard and narrowed. The anger inside her grew every time he called her name.

She suddenly regretted not grabbing her jacket out of the truck. The night was cooler than it'd been the previous night, and her thin tank top let the faint chill pass right through it as goosebumps rose on her arms. Then warm hands wrapped around her waist, precluding her from taking another step.

Klaus was in front of her, holding her close to him. She shoved at his chest irritably, but only managed to make her backpack fall off her shoulders and to the dusty ground. "Klaus," she said levelly, narrowing her eyes at him, "You're seriously invading my bubble right now. I thought I made it pretty clear last night that you aren't to touch me. Not ever."

Klaus returned her look. "And I thought I made it pretty clear that you aren't to leave. Just where do you think you're going? There's nothing around here for miles."

AJ huffed. The heat from his body being so close was slowly creeping through her clothes. The goosebumps were gone now. "'Nothing around for miles' seems to be a trend for you. Do you have some sort of sick thing for secluding people, Klaus? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to achieve just this," she said, nodding at how he was holding her. "And besides, I thought you'd made it pretty clear that I _could_ leave. That's what you said last night."

His fingers pressed into her waist a little harder, but not painfully. "What's your plan?" he inquired cruelly. "Hitchhike somewhere with a stranger? Or just walk the road until something comes upon you, maybe has a little fun with you before it kills you—"

"Gee," she interrupted callously, "Sounds a little like you, doesn't it? Playing with things, and then killing them. Tell me, do you get off on it, or is it just natural instinct that makes you enjoy it oh-so-much?"

Klaus shook his head, and he looked down at her with irritation. "So you're still angry about what I said last night, are you? And you're angry enough to get yourself killed?"

AJ frowned at him. "Stop answering a question with a question."

"Then _answer_ my question," he demanded.

She shoved at his chest once more, scowling. "Get away from me, then!"

Klaus sighed loudly. He took his hands off her and stepped back, crossing his arms. He gave her a look that said: happy?

AJ rolled her eyes. "I'm not getting myself killed," she began, rubbing her arms. She was cold again. "I'm getting myself away from _you_."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought you chose to stay. I _did _let you choose. You can't deny that."

"I'm not," she said wearily, "I did choose to stay. And even though you somehow _just_ changed the rules, now I'm choosing to leave."

Klaus stared at her for a few moments. Finally, "Why?"

"Why?" AJ asked incredulously, losing any and all patience she once held within. "You really have to ask me _why?_ Why do you _think_? I can't take the torture anymore—the blood and pain! It's pushing me over the edge, Klaus! The very first time it happened, I prayed that it would be the last. But you kept making it happen, over and over again. So I made a promise to myself: if I could stay and prevent it, I would. So I stayed, despite everything else I wanted to do. Despite everyone I need to see. But the one time I thought I stopped anyone from getting killed, you proved me wrong. You had Stefan slaughter them. Those people didn't do anything to you! They didn't deserve to die that way! And yet you seem to get some kind of sick pleasure from it!" She shook her head back and forth, shutting her eyes. "That man in there—Ray—he's only trying to protect the people he cares about. Because he's doing that, you're having him tortured." She opened her eyes, and they stung with surfacing tears. With the back of her hand, she rubbed them away. "I can't live with myself for just standing on the side and letting it happen. I'm not that kind of person." She sucked in a deep breath, finally finished with her speech. Her eyes dropped to the ground as a silence came over them. She wasn't sure what exactly she said that probably pissed him off, but she knew something had.

When he didn't speak, she looked up at him again. He was looking at his hands strangely. The palms were up, and his eyes held some kind of barely-concealed emotion. Self-loathing? No, she thought. That couldn't possibly be it. Then what?

"Elijah," Klaus finally began, but the name bit at AJ. She closed her eyes and cringed, preparing for him to say something cruel. "He would tell you that everything's going to be all right. He'd comfort you," Klaus said seriously, looking up from his hands to her eyes. There were new tears forming in them, ones she didn't bother wipe away.

"Yes," she said quietly, "He would." And she wished so badly that he could.

Klaus shook his head in consternation, frowning at her. "He isn't coming back, AJ. He isn't who you think he is, and he isn't coming for you."

AJ's breath hitched in her throat, and she had to stifle a sob. "You keep saying that," she whispered, "But I have hope—he _is_ who I know him to be. But you're probably right about one thing. He isn't coming for me. And that's for the better."

Klaus's eyebrows pulled together slightly, mystified. He looked up at the moon briefly, and then back at her. He could see that she was trying with great effort to hold back her tears, and she was shivering. He straightened up, masking his face once more.

"Are you leaving?" he asked quietly.

She raised her eyes to meet his. They didn't look black tonight; they were as deep a blue as if it were daytime. She glanced down at the dark road in front of her and sighed. "No," she said finally, "I'm not. But I do have a request."

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><p><strong>What do you think? Review! (You can always shout some directions at me, if you wish. I don't promise to use them, but I always take them into deep consideration. (-: )<strong>


	2. Death & Deceit

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews for the first chapter! They're deeply appreciated!**

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><p><strong>Two<strong>

AJ had successfully convinced Klaus to let her question Ray on her own. She couldn't bear to see him in pain anymore, and she wanted to do something about it. It'd taken some pleading, but Klaus had eventually agreed.

Although AJ was extremely satisfied that she'd be able to question Ray without him having to fear any more impending pain, she wasn't happy about what Klaus had done upon re-entering the bar. She'd been several steps ahead of him, walking purposefully back towards the dart board when Klaus had sped past her. Two seconds later Ray had been removed, quite painfully, from the dartboard and strewn about on a pool table. Klaus now stood there with his arms crossed over his chest firmly, looking suited. AJ shot him a reproachful look before scanning her eyes over Ray.

Ray was lying on his back on the pool table in the middle of the bar, unable to move. His dark hair was saturated with sweat and matted to his head. Patches of scrapes and cuts sporadically covered his face and neck, crusted with dark dried blood. He seemed to be trembling; from fear, AJ guessed. She was certain that the prospect of coming across an Original vampire would chill most people to the bone, especially the hybrid Original, notorious for his dark ways. She just happened to be the exception to that.

AJ approached the pool table with cautious, slow steps, keeping her eyes averted to the floor. Lying to people wasn't something that appealed to her, but she knew it would be necessary at the time. It was either lie to Ray, or make him suffer more. And she happened to be a very good liar.

She was aware that Ray was looking between her and Klaus now; his frightened stare felt like a heavy weight pressing down on her. A sense of guilt settled on her shoulders—she should have stopped this before. She should have precluded it the moment Klaus walked into the bar.

Taking a shaky breath, she met Ray's eyes. It was like looking into the eyes of an abused puppy; sad and heartbreaking, and she couldn't help but want to console him somehow. He truly was a pitiful sight, and she was certain he knew it. But he'd given up his pride for his survival hours ago. Settling her unsteady hands on the smooth edge of the pool table, she looked down at him.

"Ray," she said quietly, softly, "I'm AJ. I'm sorry about what's happened to you—I'm so very sorry."

A crease formed between Ray's eyebrows. "Why—who are you? Why are you with—"he stopped, and his eyes darted to Klaus, returning to AJ's just as quickly. His shaking became more pronounced, and his voice came out rougher. "Why are you with vampires? You smell human."

AJ looked down at her hands sadly. She, too, glanced at Klaus, but with a fearful gleam in her eye. He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Looking off at the ground, her bottom lip trembled. "I don't want to be—he took me," she whispered wretchedly. "He took me from my life, and I've been forced to stay with them ever since. Ray," she said desperately, her voice reaching higher octaves, "He needs to know where your pack is. He said if you don't tell him—"she made herself choke and stop, closing her eyes. Her breathing rattled, and she squeezed the table. "He said if you don't tell him," she began again, her voice cracking, "That he'll kill me. He won't have any more use for me."

She opened her eyes slowly and looked back down at Ray. Much to her surprise, she realized that there were tears dripping down her face. She wiped them away with the back of her hand briskly, sniffling.

Ray searched her eyes, his own holding a newfound fear for her. Then they became dark and angry, turning on Klaus. "You would kill this young girl?" he asked gruffly, but his fury was plain and clear. "You would kill her when you're the one who stole her away from her life in the first place?" He shook his head back and forth. "You're mad. Just let her go—let her go, and I'll tell you. I'll tell you whatever you want."

AJ choked on a real sob. This man—this _stranger_—was willing to sacrifice himself and his pack for her? For her _lie_? She felt terribly sick in that moment and a sense of self-loathing washed over her. Lying could be useful, but not when someone's life was at stake. AJ had been so focused on her inner-guilt that she hadn't even realized Klaus was beside her now.

He pulled her close to him roughly, one arm around her waist and his hand pushing back her hair, revealing her neck. AJ sucked in a gasp, her eyes widening. He pressed her into him, and his warmth once again encroached upon her body, sending wild shivers down her spine. His breath tickled her bare neck, and she was almost positive that his fangs were out. Or canines. It was a fifty-fifty.

Her eyes flicked back to Ray. He looked even angrier.

"I believe she made the terms very clear to you," Klaus said, holding her closer still. AJ wanted to protest, but she clamped her mouth shut. Every part of her was tense, waiting to see what Klaus now had planned. "Either you tell me where your pack is, or I'll kill her. Releasing her is not part of the deal."

Ray shook his head. He tried leaning up, but an invisible force pressed him down. Klaus had compelled him. "No," Ray said hoarsely, "You have to let her go. She's what, seventeen? Eighteen? How can you do this to a child?"

Klaus smiled wickedly. His fangs pressed into his bottom lip. "Believe me when I tell you she is no child."

Ray's eyes widened with revulsion. He clearly took Klaus's words in a very wrong way.

"Ray," AJ said in a small voice, "Ray—I know I can't leave. But I don't want to die. Please—I don't want to die."

Ray looked between AJ and Klaus, clearly torn. Klaus bared his fangs, placing them just over AJ's light skin. A dark light shone in his eyes.

"Fine," Ray said, his voice strained, "I'll tell you. Just—just take your hands off her."

Klaus shook his head, pressing his fingers into her more. Her tank had ridden up slightly, and he was touching her bare skin. AJ shivered. "Tell me where your pack is first."

Ray pressed his lips together, and a muscle flexed in his jaw. "In Tennessee," he said, his tone defeated and dull, "The Smoky Mountains. I'll give you directions. Now take your hands off her."

Klaus grinned triumphantly. "Fantastic, Ray." His hands left AJ's body, and she swayed on wobbly legs. She steadied herself by placing a hand on the pool table. Her eyes met Ray's apologetically. "I'm so sorry," she blurted without thinking; her voice was wretched and full of regret. "I'm so sorry you had to do that."

Ray looked at her steadily. "Don't be sorry. Don't ever be sorry."

Klaus clicked his tongue impatiently, looking down at Ray formidably. "Now," he said, "About those directions."

AJ spun on her heel and headed straight for the high-top she'd been sitting at. She braced her hands on it and leaned over, looking at the ground. Her breathing shook, coming in and out as puffs. A pounding surfaced in her head, throbbing and painful. She pinched her eyes shut, willing the surfacing tears to go away. She'd lied to him. She'd manipulated him. And now his pack would suffer—the people he loved would suffer. And it was all her fault. Maybe, she thought bitterly, he really could have held out over Klaus. Maybe he would have been strong. But now she'd never know. And the fate of many people was now molded into something horrific.

She glanced over her shoulder to see Klaus now circling Ray with a dagger in his hands, like a lion circling something it'd made a toy of. His fair hair shined faintly like gold in the dim lights, but his eyes remained dark. The sudden thought that he truly looked beautiful rose in her mind, against her own volition. A beautiful tragedy, like a town gone up in flames. The fire would dance and play, reflecting into the sky like a beautiful painting. But everything that once had been loved was being destroyed slowly as the fire made its way through, burning everything until the landscape was bare and black, and the only thing left was the rubble of what once had existed there. She narrowed her eyes and shook the thoughts away. In this moment, Klaus was anything but beautiful.

"It's a three step process, Ray," Klaus was informing him blithely, "This is step one. I want you to drink from my wrist."

"I already told you where to find the pack," Ray said hoarsely. "What more do you want from me?"

Klaus frowned impatiently. On his elbows, he leaned on the pool table over Ray. "Have you been listening to a word I've been saying, Ray?" He stuck the dagger in Ray's face, who jerked away from it. "I have great plans for you." In one fluid movement, Klaus took the dagger and cut a huge lesion into his own wrist. Then he grabbed a hold of Ray's hair, holding his head immobile, and forced his bloody wrist into the werewolf's mouth. Ray struggled against him, but his words were muffled. His head thrashed from side to side. When Klaus finally released him, he coughed and sputtered blood.

AJ took in a steadying breath and moved immediately to return to the pool table. Her eyes were glued to Ray as he choked on more blood.

"What are you going to do to me now?" Ray asked. His fair skin had a green hue to it. He'd probably never imagined he'd drink blood before. His eyes locked on AJ's, and she knew she'd taken on the same pallor. Her stomach twisted and turned. "What's he going to do to me?"

AJ's mouth opened, but no words came out. She wanted to say something to console him, to make up for what she did. But what could she possibly say? What could make anything right? She'd screwed up so badly, and she didn't have an answer.

"Well," Klaus said in her place, "Now it's time for step two, Ray." Klaus's hands lurched out and had snapped Ray's neck in less than a second. AJ gasped and jumped back, her heart pounding in her chest. Tears surfaced in her eyes as she looked upon Ray's body; the way it stuck out crookedly and wrong. She turned away, a hand over her heart. Klaus was in front of her immediately.

"Don't feel bad," he said simply, "It was going to happen. You knew that."

AJ glowered at him through her tears, and a lump formed in her throat. "No," she said quietly, "I didn't. I never really put much thought to what you'd do when you'd finally found them."

Klaus's brows pulled together. "That's why you're upset?"

AJ shook her head angrily, shoving past him. Her shoulder hit his, and a small spasm of pain shot throughout her. Even though it'd been healed from when it was disconnected, it still hurt. She clenched her fists together, breathing in and out. Klaus caught her by her wrist, turning her back around.

"I let you do as you asked," he stated, searching her face for something, "And yet you're still upset. Even more than you were outside. What's wrong?"

AJ jerked her wrist from his hand, and headed back to the table. "I shouldn't have asked. I should have just let you do whatever you'd planned to do."

Klaus trailed after her. "And since when do you let me do that? Since when do you ever think anything I do is a good idea?"

AJ reeled on him. "Since I just lied to a man so that he'd give up the people he cares about! Since he's now dead because of that, and they will be too!"

Klaus shifted. "He isn't dead. He'll come back—"

"Yeah," AJ said crudely, "As a screwed-up _thing_ that isn't meant to exist! How can you not realize that what you're doing is sick?"

Klaus's hand twitched visibly, and AJ realized that he'd just desisted his natural reaction to hit her. Her mind flashed back to when he'd hit her outside the Grille, months ago. His eyes were dark and fathomless. She knew she'd crossed a line; one she didn't even realize was there.

"Klaus—"she started, but Stefan appeared behind him. She stared at him, unable to tell if he was very solemn, or very impassive. It was always hard to tell with vampires. Especially brooding vampires, but she knew why he had to be that way; why he _was_ that way. She didn't blame him one bit.

Klaus turned, his face was impassive. "You're back."

"Did you doubt me?" Stefan asked. His eyes scanned the bar. He noted Ray's body lying on the pool table with a fractional raise of an eyebrow. AJ felt uneasy.

"Not for a second," Klaus said simply, "I knew you'd passed the test. You still care for your brother, for your old life."

Stefan laughed tiredly, shaking his head. He walked towards the bar. "Nah," he said, "I don't care about anything anymore."

"You put on a good show, Stefan," Klaus observed, following him. "I almost believe you. Let's hope for your brother's sake, he does." Stefan leaned on the bar, all pretenses broken down and shattered. He stared sullenly in front of him. "You never stop caring about family, do you?" Klaus said darkly. "But every time you feed, the blood makes it easier to let go. Isn't that right?"

A muscle flexed in Stefan's jaw. He didn't have to say anything; his eyes said all.

"And what about friends?" Klaus inquired. "Tell me, did you see any old chaps of yours while you were back in town, or just your brother? I'm sure it helps to have AJ here, since she's your dead girlfriend's best friend, after all. Or does it make it worse? Is she the constant reminder of what happened? Is that why you two never speak?"

"Klaus," AJ said crisply behind them, "Just leave him alone. It's been a long night."

Klaus regarded her impassively, but she could feel the underlying anger he was containing like she was standing in front of a fire. "Yes," he said, slapping a hand on Stefan's shoulder similar to the way brother's interacted with each other, "It has been. Why don't you take a break, Stefan?"

Stefan grunted something incoherently, sparing a look at AJ. She thought he looked appreciative, but couldn't be sure. Vampires were so enigmatic, she thought irritably. Stefan shoved away from the bar and headed directly outside. She figured he just needed to be alone; she just wished that didn't mean he was leaving her with Klaus.

Klaus lounged against the bar, but his expression was anything but relaxed.

AJ stepped slowly to the bar, her entire body tense. "Klaus," she said carefully, "I'm sorry about whatever I said that made you angry. But I'm tired of treading precarious waters with you."

Klaus's features remained grim and unhappy. "You seem to be a magnet for precarious things, wouldn't you agree?" he said tersely.

AJ frowned at him. "You're right," she said matter-of-factly. "It's no secret that, in my past, I've been more than a little reckless. And I'm sure I still have those tendencies. But right now, I can't afford to be that way. I have to look out for other people, Klaus. And as usual, I failed. I always fail."

Klaus pressed his lips together, his eyes scanning the bar. It was well into the early morning, and there were still crowds of people left filling up tables. "You cannot fail something that is inexorable," he said. "Death is inexorable, and I am just that. There's no way for you to prevent it."

AJ stared at him, and a crease formed between her eyebrows. "You've said that before, you know." He gave her an impatient look. "That you are Death," she clarified. "But don't you remember what I told you?"

One side of his mouth quirked up suddenly. AJ stepped back without conscious volition, suddenly uneasy. "Not really. But I do remember what happened after that, as I'm sure you do."

She suddenly wished that looks could kill as she glared at him. He had kissed her that night—it'd been the first time he'd kissed her. However reluctant she was to admit it to herself, he was right. She remembered it perfectly. With a huff, she crossed her arms and looked away from him. She also remembered Elijah's reaction afterward, and then finding Lucas's body on the back property. With one somewhat good memory of Klaus came a procession of terrible ones.

"Don't look so glum," he said, stealing a sideways look at her.

She scowled. "Then don't bring up things like that. I'm going out to check on Stefan." She quickly left him and crossed over to the table, then headed out to the front. Klaus's eyes followed her every movement.

The night sky seemed darker than it had before, and the two tall lights seemed to have grown harsher in clarity. Having been reminded of Lucas, she thought back to the lights set up in the yard, and how they'd outlined every detail. How very dead Lucas's face looked, and how ugly and erroneous Klaus's handwriting was on that damned piece of paper. Klaus's words echoed in her head. 'Is she the constant reminder of what happened? Is that why you two never speak?' She may be a reminder for Stefan, but Klaus would forever prove to be that in relation to her missing puzzle pieces.

Her eyes scanned the parking lot. Stefan was extremely hard to miss. Under the harsh lighting, he stood in the center where no cars were parked. His light hair shined like a halo, and it reminded AJ of the Stefan he once was. His demeanor was as statue-still as ever, but something seemed different about it. His shoulders were taut and tense. He was holding a hand up to his ear—with a cell phone. Without further hesitation, AJ walked briskly to him. The gravel crunched under her boots, a dead giveaway that she was there. But he didn't move.

When she saw his face, she knew something was definitely wrong. He looked torn, and moisture shined in his eyes. "Stefan?" she asked fretfully, "What's—"she stopped, looking back to the cell phone. She could just barely hear someone else on the other end. Elena. "Oh my God," she whispered, looking from Stefan to the phone, then back again. "You—"No, she thought. She couldn't possibly say anything. Klaus's senses were nothing short of exemplary, and he could surely hear her.

Stefan slowly closed the phone, restoring his impassive expression. He looked down at AJ. "I was just about to head back in," he said, sounding one hundred percent normal. "I'm sure Klaus will want to leave soon. Better be quick." He turned on his heel, but she called out to him.

"Wait," she said quickly. He stopped and glanced back at her. "Did you—well did you hear anything about Elijah?" she asked nervously. "I mean—did Damon—"

"Damon's not a problem for us anymore, AJ," he said concisely, "I know nothing of Elijah." Then he turned back and left her there, staring after him.

What did that mean? Was Damon okay—was he alive? If he didn't know anything about Elijah, did that mean he didn't care, or just really didn't know? Her bottom lip was quivering, but she maintained control over herself. There was no way to tell what was going on. Not yet.

But one thing finally made sense to her. Stefan chose to contact Elena tonight, after all these months had passed. And it was because it was Elena's birthday. AJ turned and looked up at the moon. It was bright and beautiful, a perfectly round snowball of light. Elena would see the same moon, back in Mystic Falls. She closed her eyes. Happy Birthday, Elena. We'll make it back to you. To _all_ of you.

* * *

><p>The air was filled with the smell of pine and nature, and the temperature was growing warmer as the sun reached its peak. Leaves and twigs crunched under their feet as Klaus and Stefan walked up the slight hill. They were now deep into the forests of the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee once more. The forest was vibrant with different shades of green, and they were surrounded on all sides by it. It'd been hours since they started off that morning, walking at a human's pace. The directions Klaus had elicited from Ray were very specific, and Klaus didn't want to make one mistake.<p>

"You okay?" Klaus asked Stefan mockingly. "Is Ray getting heavy?"

"I'm fine," Stefan said briskly, keeping a tight hold on the werewolf. He was holding Ray's arms with one of his arms and Ray's leg with his other. It was the only way to carry the werewolf for as long as he had been.

"You sure about that?" Klaus continued. "You know, we've been walking for quite some time now. If you need some water or a little sit-down . . ." He trailed off, grinning.

"How about you, Klaus?" Stefan countered rigidly, raising an eyebrow. "I know AJ's probably light as a feather, but after holding her for so long you must be a little worn out. Or do you just want to switch? Been dying to carry the werewolf? I'm sure AJ wouldn't mind if _I_ carried her."

Klaus scowled at Stefan. He was supporting AJ's knees and head gently, holding them close to his body so that she wouldn't wake as they walked. "I'd watch your mouth, if I were you. It wasn't my fault that she literally fell asleep while she was _walking_. How can someone even do that? She was just fine, and then she said she was too tired," he said irritably. "And then, she nearly hit the ground."

"Have you really been so blind to what's going on with her?" Stefan inquired seriously. He controlled his tone, making it neutral. "She doesn't sleep anymore. She always has nightmares. It's been, what, four hours? That's the most sleep she's gotten in days."

Klaus narrowed his eyes at Stefan. "And just how might _you_ know this? She sleeps in the truck. She does for hours at a time, and she did last night."

Stefan shook his head, frowning wearily. "No, she doesn't. She _pretends_ to sleep in the truck. She wants us to think she is."

"And why would she do something silly like that? It's not like she can stake you or me for that matter. She's a clever girl, but attempting that would be suicide. Although she does have her reckless tendencies," Klaus added as an afterthought.

Stefan sighed, shooting Klaus a reproachful look. "That isn't what I meant. She's not trying to be clever or reckless. She just wants us to think she's okay. That's the way she is. It's _who_ she is."

"Right," Klaus muttered mordantly, "Because you know her oh so well."

Stefan frowned again. "I used to."

Klaus looked down at AJ in his arms. Her face was the most relaxed he'd seen it in months. She looked young and peaceful. Her T-shirt and jeans were warmer garments than her tank top and shorts had been the previous day, but she still felt oddly cold. Hours ago, she'd rested her head against his chest. It was strange to see her so content, especially after the prior night.

Klaus regarded Stefan suddenly, with some cheer. "She really hasn't changed much, you know. Her sarcasm is still at its peak. I doubt it'll ever leave the girl."

"You know I get that we're stuck together," Stefan said abruptly, "But if we can maybe just skip the chit-chat, that would be great."

"So much brooding," Klaus said exaggeratedly, "Your self-loathing is suffocating me, my friend."

"Maybe it's because I'm a little tired of hunting werewolves," Stefan suggested in a flat tone. "We've only been at it all summer."

"Yes," Klaus murmured with a twinge of excitement, slowing down, "And thanks to our pal, Ray, we found a pack." Ahead of them, werewolves occupied a small campsite. Trees dotted the land, and there were log-turned-benches and chairs all around. Dozens of werewolves walked about the place, conversing with one another or helping with supplies. Their organization made it very clear that they were, in fact, werewolves, and not just human campers. Before they stepped forward, Klaus looked back down at AJ. "AJ," he said quietly, brushing some hair out of her face. Stefan raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "AJ, you need to wake up."

AJ shifted in his arms as she sighed in her sleep. A moment later, her eyes opened slowly. She looked up at the sky covered by a green canopy of leaves, and a sudden sense of weightlessness came over her. Then she felt hands on her, and she started. Her eyes went wide when she saw Klaus. Shoving at his chest, she scowled.

"Klaus," she hissed, "What the hell?"

Klaus held a finger to his lips. He bent and set her on her feet, but kept a hand on her arm to hold her steady. She swayed at a little as she blinked at their surroundings.

"We weren't here five minutes ago," AJ noted wearily. "What happened?"

"What happened," Klaus began, irked, "Is that one moment you were walking ahead of us, and the next you'd fallen asleep. It's been a few hours."

AJ's brows pulled together. She studied him, and then Stefan. "You're serious," she said slowly. "Damn. I guess I just didn't get enough sleep last night," she shrugged without worry. "Sorry." She turned around, realizing that they were already at the place where Ray's pack met up. A frown appeared on her lips. These people wouldn't look so happy for much longer. And that was all her fault.

Klaus's eyes narrowed at AJ now that he knew she was lying, but he turned his attention back to the werewolves. Stefan stepped forward purposefully, and Klaus watched, crossing his arms with a contented smile on his face. AJ stood back, wary. The werewolves all began glancing up, sensing that something was wrong. One by one they stood up, eyes on Stefan.

Stefan walked into the middle of the campsite, setting Ray's body down on the ground roughly. A dark haired girl gaped at Ray. She had short black hair, fair skin, and bright eyes. She didn't appear to be more than twenty or twenty-one. "Ray!" she cried out, rushing over to him. She bent on the ground, turning his body so that she could see his face. "Oh my God." Several other werewolves crossed over to Ray, alert. The dark haired girl looked up at Stefan, her chin quivering. "Who are you?"

Klaus stepped up beside Stefan, and instantly an air of formidability formed around him. "The important question," he said, "Is who am I." The dark haired girl glared at him, but he paid no mind. "Please, forgive the intrusion. My name is Klaus."

The girl slowly stood from her crouch, backing away. She held her arms out, pushing the others of her pack back as well. "You're the hybrid," she said warily.

"You've heard of me," Klaus said, a wicked smile appearing on his lips. "Fantastic."

There was a log bench in front of Ray's body, and Klaus walked towards it. As he moved, the werewolves moved back. He laughed humorously as he perched himself on the bench. "Why, no need to be frightened," he said almost mockingly, "I come with intentions of peace."

Stefan followed Klaus's suit, as he always did, and sat on the other side of the bench. He kept a sharp eye on the werewolves' movements, sensing the slightest intake of breath.

In his merriment, Klaus's eyes landed on AJ. "Darling," he said with a twinge of warmness, "Come here. Don't be shy—they won't bite."

AJ's cheeks heated up as all eyes landed on her. She wasn't afraid of them—far from it. It was the 'darling' that made her self-conscious. The werewolves gave her judging looks that made her immediately despise Klaus. She crossed her arms over her chest defensively and kept her head down, slowly walking over to him. If she didn't, then the wolves would think there was a weakness in him. And she didn't want them to think that—she wanted them to realize just how terrified they should be. It was the only warning she could give them at the time.

The leaves and twigs that crunched and snapped under her boots broke the heavy silence that'd settled over the campsite. Klaus patted for her to sit beside him, but she held her head defiantly as she stood. She just didn't want to look like his bitch, whether he meant for it to seem that way or not. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned his attention to the werewolves around him.

"It's fascinating, you see," he said, "A werewolf who is beholden to the moon; a vampire who doesn't burn in the sun." He looked off to the side, his eyes squinting with a small dawning realization. "A true hybrid."

"A true _something_," AJ muttered. He shot her a dirty look, and she met it with an innocent one.

Suddenly Ray gasped in air, and his body shifted with animation on the ground. AJ flinched and stepped back, regarding him solemnly. His blood stained the front of his grey t-shirt, leaving dark patches everywhere, and his face was still a mess of it. His eyes were wide and confused, gazing up at the canopy of leaves. Then he turned on his side and spotted Klaus. His mouth hung open; Klaus's blood had dried to it.

"Good timing Ray," Klaus commented blithely, leaning forward. "Very dramatic."

Ray began heaving. As he looked up at Klaus, he panted, "What's happening to me?"

Klaus sat back, completely at ease. "Stefan?" he prompted, looking over at the ripper vampire.

Stefan pressed his lips together and nodded, shoving to his feet. He looked around the campsite, meeting the werewolves' frightened gazes with his hard eyes. "Are any of you human?" he called out, looking from person to person. "Your friend here," he said, approaching Ray with a predators step, "He needs human blood. It'll complete his transition into a vampire. If he doesn't get it," he enunciated every word as his eyes locked on the dark-haired girl's, "He will die."

"It doesn't take much," Klaus added, "Just a sip." Klaus stood now, slowly scanning the faces. He stepped around AJ, who was silently glaring at him. "Anyone? A boyfriend, a girlfriend along for the ride?"

The dark-haired girl's breath hitched in her throat. She gave AJ a hard look and pointed at her. "What about her?" she asked in a quivering voice. "She's human—use her."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, amused. "Your deflection makes it so very obvious," he said quietly before turning to a light-haired man beside her. "You," he said to the man before he rushed at him and snatched his arm. In less than a second, he'd sunk his fangs into the human's arm, and then flung him towards Stefan. Stefan shoved the man to the ground, holding his arm out in front of Ray.

"No!" the girl shrieked, hurtling herself towards the man. Klaus grabbed her by her hair, and she cried out.

"This is a new order, sweetheart," he said, keeping a firm hold on her. "You join us, or you die."

Tremors of fear shook her body, but met Klaus's eyes. "I'd rather die than be a vampire," she said through chittering teeth.

Klaus looked down at her darkly, and his grip tightened. The veins around his eyes became visible while his eyes shone gold. "Wrong choice," he said menacingly. He lifted his wrist to his mouth where canines had elongated, and tore into it. Then he shoved it into her mouth, forcing her to drink. A moment later his hands flashed through the air and her neck twisted. The snapping bones made AJ shiver.

Stefan had the human pinned to the ground behind Klaus. "If you don't drink," Stefan was saying to Ray, his chest rising and falling as the smell of fresh blood hit him, "I will. And there's just one problem with that, Ray. I don't know how to stop."

Ray stared at the wound, and slowly began crawling towards the man on his hands and knees. He took the gory appendage in his hands and bit into the flesh, feeding savagely.

Klaus turned around after shoving the girl's body to the ground. A wave of uneasiness washed over AJ as she looked him over. His hand dripped with his own blood, and his stance was predatory. She looked at all the innocent people around her, biting her lip. Sure, they were werewolves, but Tyler was a werewolf. He wasn't a murderer, bent on taking lives for simple entertainment. He was sweet and kind. And these people, albeit strangers, had to have similar qualities, didn't they? But when it came down to it, she supposed their qualities didn't matter. Not even a little bit. Because Klaus wanted this, and Klaus believed he was Death. Death didn't pick and choose between people because of who they are; Death consumed all.

"So," Klaus said with a wicked gleam in his golden eyes, "Who's next?"

"Klaus," AJ said quietly, speaking for the first time since the chaos began. His head whipped around to gaze at her, and his eyes were piercing. "Klaus," she said again, approaching him carefully, "If there's any way I can get you to reconsider—"

"Darling," he interjected roughly, "I recommend you sit down and rest awhile. This may take some time." Then he speed off to the closest werewolf to him, and began feeding him his blood.

AJ looked on with horror. What have I done? She asked herself wretchedly. What the hell have I done?

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><p><strong>What did you think of this chapter? Please review!(-:<strong>


	3. A Strange Thing Happened

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

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><p><strong>Three<strong>

AJ's head was spinning. Her vision faded to black on the edges, returned to its normal clarity, and then repeated the cycle. Nausea rolled over her in waves, steady like a ghastly rhythm, bringing on headaches and raising bile into her throat. Her thoughts were incomplete as her eyes darted around the scene before her. She tried very hard not to take deep breaths. Only one word clicked in her head. Death.

Klaus and Stefan had immediately gotten to work starting the transition for the werewolves that'd remained. And their work was now strewn carelessly about the campsite, exuding a terrible smell of decaying flesh and organs, even though the bodies were perfectly intact and would soon re-animate. Her vision was starting to get an odd dreamlike transparency. Everything was outlined in white and gold as if she were somewhere heavenly rather than a place that reeked of just the opposite. She fretfully wondered if her reality was meshing with the place she wanted to be, which was in Elijah's comforting arms.

Klaus was finishing the last werewolf. The boy looked to be seventeen, and he had light brown hair and clear blue eyes. He looked like a perfectly normal teenager, except for the fear etched in his eyes and the blood seeping out of his mouth. AJ cringed, turning away. No one deserved that. She wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy. Not even the darker part of her could—the part that'd completely fused with her better side when the two could no longer fight for dominance in her head. There'd been times over the summer when she feared that they'd returned to their warring ways, but something worse had happened. The fusion had created a mix of new emotions in her; emotions that she wasn't sure how to handle. Right now, she was quite certain she was on the verge of losing her sanity and gaining something else, something darker.

Vertigo twisted up in her stomach, and she thought for a moment that she'd wretch. But she didn't. She took in short, concise breaths and closed her eyes. Pulling her knees up to her chin, she laced her fingers around her shins and just focused on staying calm. She couldn't lose herself emotionally; not now, of all times. She needed to stay in control of herself. Letting out a long breath, she reopened her eyes.

Beside her, Ray shivered. "They're dead," he said wretchedly, "They're all dead." He rocked back and forth, his arms tucked up under the sleeves of his jacket and his shoulders hunched over. He was a pitiful sight. AJ put her hand on his back and rubbed it soothingly, but she knew it provided very little comfort. The guilt she'd felt over the past hour now pressed down on her like a heavy weight.

Klaus approached them, and Stefan was now standing on Ray's other side.

Klaus's eyes skimmed over Ray. "He's reaching the peak of his transition. He should feel better soon."

Still rubbing Ray's back, AJ gave him a reproachful look. "You should have never done this. _I_ should have never allowed it."

Klaus met her eyes steadily. "Maybe you should have stayed back somewhere. It's not too late for you to leave, now."

AJ shook her head angrily. "No," she said firmly, "I'm not leaving him like this. And the others—I won't leave."

Klaus whistled low, but his mouth settled into a fine line. "Such a saint," he said harshly, "And here I'd thought you couldn't stand any more of this. I'm giving you a way out for the day."

"And I'm refusing it."

Stefan looked between the two of them, indifferent. "So is this your master plan?" he asked Klaus. "Build an army of hybrid slaves?"

"Not slaves," Klaus said seriously. "Soldiers. Comrades."

Stefan nearly scoffed. "For what war, might I ask?"

Klaus looked down at Ray. "You don't arm yourself after war has been declared, Stefan," he said, "You build your army so big, that no one ever dares pick a fight."

"And what makes you so sure that they'll be loyal?"

Klaus smiled unnervingly. "Oh, it's not difficult to be loyal when you're on the winning team. That's something you'll learn once you shake that horribly depressive chip off your shoulder."

Stefan laughed humorlessly. "So that's why you're keeping me around? To witness my attitude adjustment?"

Klaus was no longer looking at Stefan. His eyes were on Ray, akin with worry like AJ. Blood was seeping out of his eyes, and he began choking as he shivered. Klaus kneeled down and took Ray's head in his hands, turning it sideways to examine him. "You'll know why I'm keeping you around when I've decided that I want you to know," he said as he studied Ray's face. "Something's wrong," he said suddenly, and concern was clear in his voice.

Stefan leaned down, also examining Ray. "Huh," he said smugly, touching Ray's head, "Now that shouldn't be happening, should it?" He looked at Klaus haughtily.

Klaus gave him a dark glare. "Obviously."

"What's happening to him?" AJ asked, grabbing Ray's hand. She looked from him, to Stefan and Klaus. Klaus had stood. His finger and thumb were on his chin as one arm crossed over his body. He stared at Ray pensively. "What's happening?" she asked shrilly. Couldn't Klaus do something? Was there a problem with the transition?

"You said it would feel better," Ray said, and his words came out staccato. He shook his head, looking up at Klaus. "I don't feel better."

Klaus crossed his arms, sighing lightly. Across from him, Stefan leaned against a tree. "Some master race," he commented without inflection.

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Lose the attitude."

AJ flinched when another werewolf woke up, gasping for air. It was the dark-haired girl; the girlfriend of the human. She spit out blood and looked up at Stefan and Klaus, confused.

"Derek," Klaus called unhappily, "Come feed your girlfriend." Derek stood languidly, slowly rising to his feet, and made his way over to the girl. He was a gory mess. Just as he was about to reach his girlfriend, AJ screamed.

Klaus was at her side in an instant, pushing her behind him. He watched as Ray's fangs slid out of his mouth and the newly made hybrid took off into the forest. Stefan gaped, and then looked back at Klaus. "Go get him," Klaus ordered. Stefan hesitated before taking off after Ray. AJ bit her lip. Not a moment later, she could hear Stefan cry out in pain. She looked up at Klaus, eyes wide and fearful.

Klaus swore under his breath and started off towards Stefan, pulling AJ along with him. A minute later they came upon him looking out over a ridge. Stefan swiftly turned on his heel. Ray was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did he go?" Klaus demanded.

"He got away," Stefan said quickly. AJ could see that something was wrong, other than Ray escaping. His eyes held the smallest glint of desperation in them. He moved to go past Klaus, but Klaus grabbed Stefan's wrist.

"A fatal werewolf bite," he noted with a smirk, "Ouch."

Stefan looked down at it. "Yeah," he said coolly, "I'm going to need your blood, to heal me."

"Well, I'll tell you what," Klaus said, "You find Ray, and then I'll heal you."

Stefan processed this a moment. "You can't be serious."

"Klaus," AJ cut in, "He could find Ray better if he was healed. Don't be a dick."

"You'd better hurry," Klaus said, ignoring AJ's comment, "Because that bite looks nasty." He then stepped past Stefan, leaving him there as he headed back to the campsite.

AJ remained. She caught Stefan's eyes and gave him a questionable look. Stefan pressed his lips together, glancing back over his shoulder. Then he made a gesture as if he were writing. Catching on, AJ pulled a pen and small sheet of paper out of her pocket from where she kept it for when ideas popped into her head. She handed the items to him.

He quickly scrawled a note on the paper, placed it back in her hands, and took off after Ray. AJ blinked after him, but looked down at the paper. _Elena, Damon, Alaric, and Elijah. They're here. Stay put, I'll handle it. Klaus can't know._

AJ's eyes widened and she reread the messy message several times. Her friends were here, somewhere in the mountains. Elijah was here. Her heart both rejoiced and became very fearful. Would she see him?

"AJ," Klaus called out, breaking into her thoughts, "Are you coming?"

AJ immediately crumpled up the paper and tossed it over the ridge. She turned on her heel and fast-walked back to the campsite. "Yes," she said, trying to control the excitement in her voice, "I'm coming."

As she came back upon the campsite, she stopped. All around, the bodies of the werewolves were now twisting and turning, writhing on the ground. Some moaned out in pain, and others began shivering the way Ray had. Once she spotted Klaus, she stepped cautiously around them. Instead of making her way over to him, she went back to the bench and settled on it. Her sudden hope for seeing her friends—for seeing _Elijah_—dissipated. They couldn't possibly come up here. Tonight was the full moon, and these things were _hybrids_. It wouldn't be safe. No one would be safe.

Klaus was going around the site, smiling beatifically at the wolves in transition. AJ averted her eyes, choosing to look off into the woods. Everything was a bright a luscious green. She tried pretending that she was just out in nature, enjoying the simplicity of it, but it didn't work very well. Elijah kept popping up in her mind.

Suddenly something had darted out in the woods—something with a humanlike figure. AJ stood suddenly, sucking in a gasp. They moved at an unbelievable speed, and yet they stayed hundreds of feet away. Was it Elijah? Dare she even think so? AJ stepped forward without any conscious volition, and flinched when she heard Klaus's voice.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his eyes raking over her. Her fair skin had a green twinge to it, and her eyes looked tormented. He frowned.

AJ swallowed hard, looking back at him. "I was just going to go for a walk in the forest," she said, and to her regret, her voice came out pitchy. "I was lucky Ray didn't come at me—I thought I'd get away for a little while as you controlled this situation."

Klaus glanced off to where she'd been heading, and her breath caught in her throat, thinking she'd been caught. He shrugged, "Don't be too long. Ray's still out there, and it'll be getting dark in less than an hour I don't want you getting lost—I have enough to handle."

AJ stared at him, her mouth open. A moment later, she regained her composure. "Yes—okay. I won't be long." She looked back out to where she'd seen the movement, and squinted. There didn't appear to be anything there anymore. With a small sigh, she started off towards it again. As she walked, she wondered what she'd even do if it _was_ Elijah. She couldn't go back with him, no matter how much she wanted to. She felt responsible for the werewolves' fates, and she couldn't possibly leave Stefan behind to face Klaus's undoubted wrath. No, she wouldn't be able to leave. But to see him, to be close to him; that would be enough. It would give her the strength she'd been lacking.

Hopping over a fallen tree, her eyes searched the forest in front of her. Where was he? She'd seen him over here, somewhere. She was certain she was getting close. He didn't leave, did he? Like Klaus had said earlier, it was starting to get dark. The farthest she could see back was beginning to become shrouded by shadows, making her feel uneasy. But Elijah was out here somewhere. She considered calling his name, but immediately knew better. Klaus would hear, of course.

AJ came to an abrupt stop. Something suddenly didn't feel right. It wasn't the atmosphere around her, it was _her_. She put two fingers to her pulse point, wondering if she was having an attack of some kind for being overly excited. Her pulse was much faster than usual, but it didn't seem too absurd.

Then a sharp, shooting pain erupted from deep inside her, in the center of her body. AJ cried out and fell to her knees, landing roughly on the hard ground. There was an invisible force of some kind shrouding her, coming over her and pinpointing her throat as its target as something else stabbed into her stomach. It felt like invisible hands were wrapping around her throat, squeezing and pressing harder and harder. AJ gasped, her hands scratching at her throat. She coughed and sputtered, and blood sprayed from her mouth. Kneeling over, she wheezed in and out, straining to get the least bit of air as she choked on blood bubbling up out of her esophagus and spurting out of her mouth. Every time her lungs contracted, it felt like a torch burned within them. Tears coursed down her face, and knew she was going to die. Whatever witchery this was, it would kill her.

In a flash, she realized she wasn't alone anymore.

"AJ," Klaus said, falling to his knees beside her and looking into her eyes, "AJ what's happening? Have you been attacked? Ray—did you come across him?"

AJ couldn't do anything; she couldn't say anything. She tried gasping in air again, but only brought on a bloody coughing fit. Her eyes widened at the amount of crimson liquid that stained her hands and spattered the ground.

Klaus's face tightened, and a muscle flexed in his jaw. He whipped his head around, searching for signs of an attacker. How could she be coughing up so much blood? Something was obviously wrong with her lungs. Through the near-complete darkness, he saw no traces of another being. He regarded her again, his eyes scanning over her scrupulously. She continued clawing at her neck, trying to remove whatever was strangling her. It was an absurd thought, she knew, but she could _feel_ hands. She sputtered blood once more, and looked up to Klaus. She prayed he would save her. No matter how much of a monster she thought he was, he was now the only person who _could_ save her.

He was scanning his eyes over her body intently, and they narrowed at the claw marks around her throat. AJ watched with furrowed eyebrows as he reached out and placed a hand on the side of her face. She tried staying as still as possibly, having not even a remote idea about what he was doing, but her body shook with spasms of pain. But then she saw it, and hope rose in her chest. He seemed to have figured something out.

He moved quickly, pulling one of his necklaces up and over his head and placing it around her neck. AJ tried breathing in once more and was shocked when air actually filled her lungs, void of any obtrusion that'd been there just a millisecond ago. The blood bubbling up into her throat ceased, but she coughed a little more out. The invisible hands were gone, and whatever had been happening to her had stopped. Swiftly, Klaus had picked her up and settled himself down against a tree with her in his lap as he stroked her hair.

"Just breathe," he said quietly, brushing the hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ears. She leaned against his body with exhaustion, welcoming the warmth he brought her. Her muscles felt weak and somehow overworked, like she'd just ran a marathon non-stop. She breathed in and out raggedly, relishing the air that continued to fill her lungs. Closing her eyes, she breathed out slowly.

"What happened?" Klaus asked in a low voice.

She shook her head from side to side. "I don't know," she whispered hoarsely. Her throat felt like it was on fire. "I was just walking, and then something didn't feel right. It felt like someone was choking me, and somehow stabbing me at the same time." Curiously, she lifted her hands, which felt like deadweight, and set them at the hem of her shirt. Now wasn't the time to worry about what Klaus has seen or hasn't seen, she thought. She lifted it, exposing her stomach. There was an angry red mark in the middle, just barely under her ribcage; a perfect circle.

Klaus looked down at it, a crease forming between his eyebrows. Slowly, he reached out and touched the red skin. It was smooth, but felt strangely hot. "Does this hurt?" he asked.

AJ shook her head. "No. It just feels tingly." She held in any shivers his touch created, biting her lip. His hands were warm and a little rough. In all the months they'd been tracking down werewolves, he hadn't really touched her.

Klaus's eyes narrowed at the mark. AJ pulled her shirt back down as a blush crept onto her face. She reached up, suddenly, placing her hand on the necklace he'd put around her, careful to not get any blood on it. She looked down at it. It was a wooden carving of a sun on a black chord. Its surface was smooth and soft, but there was something about it that brought a sense of peace over her.

"What is this?" she asked. "Why—why did it help me?"

Klaus shifted. "I've had it for centuries," he said with a little hesitation. "A witch gave it to me once. She said I would need it someday, for protection."

AJ glanced up at him, confused. "But Bonnie—she could still hurt you. It didn't protect you like the witch said."

Klaus gave her a strange look. "Maybe it wasn't meant for me."

AJ swallowed hard, turning it around in her hand. She began to pull it over her head, but Klaus caught her hands. "No," he said, "Keep it. Whatever happened, it'll prevent it from happening again."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked quietly, keeping her eyes averted. She could feel his breath on her neck, warm and electric.

"Yes," he said concisely, "As you said, it's never worked on me, anyway. So keep it."

AJ nodded. "Thank you," she murmured. Her gaze flicked back up to him. "Do you know what happened?" she asked in a small voice. "Because I have no idea what in the hell that was."

Klaus was impassive. "We should get back. It's dark, and they're up and walking now."

AJ sighed, but gave a brief nod. He wasn't telling her something, but what was new? She prepared to shove herself to her feet. Klaus stood quickly, and held out a hand for her. She took his hand, and he pulled her to her feet, keeping a steadying hand on her. He didn't meet her eyes. "You're right," she said, "We can't let what happened to Ray happen to them."

"Yes," Klaus said, and they began making their way back. "I'll have to keep them contained."

"But after what Ray did, how are you supposed to do that?"

Klaus pressed his lips together. "We'll just have to see."

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><p>Stefan zipped through the forest, his feet barely touching the ground. Darting over fallen trees, boulders, and bushes, he raced to catch up with Ray. The bite in his arm didn't slow him down, though it did make things more painful. The wind touched it, making it burn more. The amount of human blood he'd had over the course of the past few days amplified his speed and strength, so he knew he had a pretty could chance of catching up with the hybrid. But, he thought bitterly, night had already fallen, and he hadn't caught a glimpse of Ray in over an hour.<p>

As he ran, he listened intently to the sounds in the forest. Several times, he'd heard Ray lose control and roar in rage, but each time he'd headed in that direction, the hybrid would have already disappeared. Suddenly, to his right, he heard Ray grunt and someone else cry out in surprise. Damon. Stefan turned on a dime, heading immediately in that direction. Damon didn't know what Ray was. And Klaus sure as hell wasn't going to heal him a second time if he got bit.

Just as Ray was advancing on Damon, Stefan plunged his hand into the hybrid's chest, ripping out his heart in one swift, fluid movement. Ray's lifeless body dropped to the forest floor in two sequences; first to his knees, and then flat on his face with a _thud._

Stefan, still holding the bloody heart, turned his attention to Damon. Moonlight streamed through the canopy above in patches, highlighting half of Damon's face. Stefan gave him a hard look.

Breathless from fighting off Ray, Damon said, "Fancy meeting you here." He felt utterly perturbed at the whole ordeal, but didn't let on to it.

"I told you not to follow me anymore," Stefan said, tossing the heart to the ground. It landed in the foliage, blending in with the darkness. "What got lost in translation, Damon?"

"You know, you might want to take it up with your girlfriend." Damon returned Stefan's look. "You don't want her chasing you, then I'd stop with the late-night phone calls."

Stefan remained impassive, but he shifted slightly. "I didn't call her."

Damon gave him a bull-shit look. "Sure you didn't." They exchanged looks; Damon studied Stefan, while Stefan's barriers began tugging apart. "She's not going to give up on you," Damon added in an obvious tone, dramatically rolling his eyes.

"Well she has to. Because I'm never coming back." He looked at Damon steadily, although he felt the opposite. "I want you to get her home. And see if you can keep her there this time."

Damon frowned. "I can keep Elena there, easy. Well, almost easy," he mumbled. "But you know I have an Original of my own to worry about. He's not the same without AJ. I mean that in _the_ most literal sense possible."

As if on cue, a twig snapped in the woods to their right. They whipped their heads in that direction. Elijah stepped out of the cover of darkness formidably, the atmosphere instantly changing. His hands were in the pockets of his suit, and he stepped into the small clearing slowly, his eyes on the ground pensively. He looked very much like he had months ago when Stefan had last seen him at Alaric's apartment. But there was an obvious change, too. He appeared tense and on edge; he didn't look like the amenable gentleman he'd been when AJ had been around him. It was as if some sort of light was missing.

"Elijah," Stefan said, growing more confused. Damon scowled at the Original, but said nothing. He was quite used to the gloomy, dark mood that emanated off of him.

Elijah met Stefan's eyes, and Stefan was surprised to find that it did seem as if Elijah was more like Klaus. Except maybe the roles had reversed—Klaus, albeit a murdering psychopath, still had a light gleam in his eye, the smallest glint of content. Elijah's were hard and stone-like; the eyes of someone without anything to live for. It seemed that AJ was the catalyst that had the main affect on the two Originals, perhaps without them realizing it.

"Stefan," Elijah said coolly, "I finally make contact with you."

Stefan pressed his lips together. "No," he said slowly, "I'm leaving now. I have to get back to—"

"Klaus?" Elijah raised an eyebrow. A moment later, he had Stefan pinned to a tree by the neck. It seemed to be the way Originals worked. His eyes pierced Stefan coldly. "Tell me," he said, "How has it been, being enslaved by Klaus? Or have you let your natural instinct run rampant, as the evidence you've continuously left behind causes me to assume?"

Stefan narrowed his eyes, unfazed. "Why don't you ask me what you really want to ask, instead of playing little games like your kind seems to do."

Elijah tensed. "You're quite right. I would like to get straight to the point. Where is she? Why did you not bring her here, as well?"

Stefan almost smirked. "You mean AJ. Do you really think it'd be wise of me to bring her along while I hunt down a loose hybrid?" He let the question hang in silence, catching the look in Elijah's eyes. "I didn't think so."

"Then tell me," Elijah prompted, "Where is she?"

Stefan shook his head, closing his eyes. "You can't save her, and she wouldn't want you to. Klaus would kill you first, just like he'd kill Damon."

Elijah's grip tightened on Stefan's throat. Stefan grunted and shifted, but he remained impassive. "Tell me where she is."

"Or you'll what?" Stefan inquired mockingly, "Kill me? Really? I'm the only one that can keep him from harming her, you know. You _do_ know that. You don't have any cards to play with, Elijah."

Elijah abruptly released Stefan, allowing the ripper vampire to fall to his feet. He breathed out, remaining in control. It was rather frustrating that the once supposedly good vampire seemed to be mimicking his brother's aggravating ways. "If I can help her," he began quietly, calm and collected, "Why won't you let me?"

Stefan shook his head, his features tinged with sadness. "Because she wouldn't want you to. She's fine on her own, right now."

Elijah clenched his fists and ground his teeth together. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because she knows you're here, but she isn't _here_. And she isn't making any signals for you to find her. Klaus has never said it, but she's well aware what he'd do to you if you showed up. She wouldn't get you killed. She went with Klaus so that wouldn't happen. Can't you see that?"

Elijah heaved a frustrated sigh. "Then have her go somewhere where Klaus isn't. It's a simple plan, don't you see? It'd be very easy to get her back."

"No," Stefan said, "It wouldn't. Klaus rarely lets her out of his sight."

Elijah's face pinched together with anger. "And what has Klaus been doing to her, all this time? I'm aware of what the punishment is for interfering with his plans. Has he laid a hand on her?"

"He hasn't harmed her," Stefan said seriously, "She's fine, and she knows how to take care of herself. I'm sure you're well aware of that. Now, you both need to leave. I don't know how much longer I can keep it a secret that you're here, and if I don't get back with Ray's body soon, Klaus will come looking."

Elijah's mouth tightened. Damon crossed his arms, but didn't look like he would object. "He's right, Elijah," Damon said, "Elena isn't safe here, and neither are we. We should just go."

Elijah stiffly turned to Damon. "_Safe?_ Do you realize who is truly not _safe_ here, or must I point it out to you? You would so easily give up on your brother and your friend? You're a coward, then."

"No," Stefan said, "He's smart. He knows that he can't win this. Not now."

"Then when?" Elijah inquired harshly.

Stefan looked away. "Probably never for me. Maybe someday for AJ—maybe Klaus will release her, and she will come back."

Elijah shook his head angrily. "And how do you expect me to just sit and wait for that time? How do you expect me not to help her?"

"Because," Stefan said simply, "You love her."

Elijah turned his back on both of the brothers, crossing his arms over his chest. He stared off into the forest, wishing AJ would just be there, would come into his arms again. There wasn't a moment that passed that she wasn't on his mind. But she wasn't there. She was with Klaus. And no matter what he had to do, he had to find a way to end that.

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><p><strong>How do you like the story so far? Review, please!(-: <strong>


	4. Revelations

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

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><p><strong>Four<strong>

Klaus had started a fire when they'd returned. AJ stared into it now as she sat once more on the log bench. She watched as the flames danced about; the light projected onto the trees surrounding her, creating an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Night had fallen completely, and the full moon sat high up in the sky. She could remember the days when, back home in Michigan, she could look up at it and feel peaceful. Now, she only felt on-edge and fretful.

The hybrids had almost all raised to their feet. Some stalked about in a manner that reminded AJ of the way zombies would walk; setting one foot in front of the other, their backs and shoulders hunched, their fingers curled and their faces twisted up in pain and uncertainty. Others fared better, walking with more surety and balance or sitting. But every single one of them looked terrified, to some extent. Most shuddered in fear.

AJ couldn't look at the madness surrounding her. But Klaus was across from her, on the other side of the fire. Her glaze flicked to him, and her hand absently found his necklace lying at the base of her throat. The fire had warmed her completely, but the wooden sun pendant somehow managed to maintain its cool surface. Magic. It was very puzzling.

In the flicker of the fire, Klaus's features were shadowed. She watched with clenched fists as he grabbed Derek by his shirt and barred his fangs, preparing to sink them into the poor man's neck. She was on her feet in an instant, her hands falling to her sides. "Klaus," she said crisply. Klaus retracted his fangs and turned to her, still gripping Derek's shirt. "Leave him be," she pleaded. "He let you make your hybrids, didn't he? You don't need to kill him."

Klaus didn't blink. "There is the factor that I'm rather thirsty, dear." Dark veins surfaced around his eyes once more, and his fangs protruded from his mouth. He raised an eyebrow. "Now unless you're willing to take his place, I'm quite content with just finishing him off."

The girl with the dark hair, whose name AJ had yet to learn, began stepping towards Klaus. Her eyes were lit with hatred, and her steps, although rather slow, were determined. Klaus smirked. "Careful, love," he warned the hybrid, "There's only one alpha here."

AJ walked around the fire to the girl, a frown on her face. She suppressed the want to shiver at the sight of her. The girl's face was a bloody mess, and she looked to be in excruciating pain. AJ held her hands out toward her, to stop her. The girl had moved so quickly, AJ didn't realize what'd happened until she felt sharp human teeth pierce her neck. Her scream sliced through the cool night air, high and shrill.

Not a second later, Klaus had interjected. Standing behind the hybrid, he plunged his hand into her back and yanked her heart out, throwing it into the fire. The hybrid's body fell, and with it went AJ. He took a firm hold of her arm and pulled her close, away from the dead creature.

Tears had instantly surfaced in AJ's eyes, and she held a hand to her throbbing neck. Her balance was shot as she swayed on her feet. Blood seeped into her hand where the hybrid had torn a wide gash. AJ had never before been bitten by _human_ teeth, but it was quite possibly the most disturbing feeling ever.

Klaus turned her around so that she was facing him. She averted her eyes, applying more pressure to the wound. "I'm fine," she said steadily, aware of his eyes intent on her. "The bleeding will stop in a few." She tried pulling away from him, but he held her stationary.

"You've lost too much blood already," he pointed out. "You need mine."

AJ's head shot up, her eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

Klaus didn't answer but put his hand over hers, pulling it away from the wound. He turned his head so he could examine it, and frowned. "You need my blood," he urged. "This isn't going to stop on its own. It's much too deep."

"No," AJ shook her head, but cringed when pain shot through her neck. "No, that's unacceptable. I won't."

Klaus looked at her frankly. "You would bleed to death because you don't want to drink my blood? I'm told it's not _that_ terrible."

AJ bit her lip. She stepped to the side, away from him. "I'm fine," she said with little confidence. "I'll be fine. My backpack has a first aid kit in it. I'll just—"

"You'll just hike back down the mountain to get it? Because you left your backpack in the truck," Klaus pointed out again, crossing his arms. A ghost of a smile suddenly appeared on his lips. "You think I'm trying to trick you into this, don't you? Do I look that desperate, love?"

AJ turned back to him, glaring. "Don't call me that."

He raised an eyebrow. His gaze dropped to the blood dripping from her hand, splattering down onto the dry leaves that covered the forest floor. "I won't call you that if you allow me to give you blood," he said seriously. "I am not joking, AJ. That's a nasty wound."

"Hm, I seem to remember you saying precisely the same thing to Stefan earlier. And did you offer him blood? No. Besides, it wouldn't have happened if you would have listened to me." She turned around, suddenly, eyes searching for Derek. They widened when she saw him dead on the ground, next to his girlfriend. She shook her head slowly, turning back to Klaus. "If you hadn't killed him, she wouldn't have done this."

"You're right. Which means that I owe you, and the only useful thing I can offer you is blood. Now, will you accept it?"

AJ pressed her lips together, hard. Searching his eyes, she didn't see any kind of deceit within them. But what would Elijah think? Wouldn't he be furious? Wasn't drinking a vampire's blood supposed to be intimate—not something you did with just anyone? She sighed, removing her hand from the wound again. It was sticky. Elijah would be furious if she allowed herself to bleed to death. He wouldn't want her to die, even if Klaus's blood was the only thing that could make her better. "Fine," she looked up at him, defeated. "But only a little bit. And since _you_ owe _me_, you can't ask for anything in return. Got it?"

Klaus rolled his eyes dramatically, but she could see some sort of spark in them. "Of course." He went over to a bag and picked it up, shucking the things out of it. Dropping it to the ground, he reached down and picked up a knife. He returned to AJ as he held it over his wrist, just about to cut it open. Then he stopped, and his gaze pinned on her.

AJ's eyebrows pulled together. Her vision was beginning to go funky because of the blood loss. "What? Why aren't you, you know, cutting your wrist?"

Klaus pouted a little, sighing. "I grow tired of that—that's all I've done all day."

"Okay…" AJ squinted at him. "And the problem is?"

He looked to the ground, just barely suppressing a smile. "I was curious if you'd be willing to try another spot."

Her eyes widened. "Klaus, I swear to God, if you're insinuating what I think—"

"Relax," he held his hands out, but his smiled graced his lips. "I was merely suggesting if maybe, say, near my neck, or somewhere else that doesn't involve slitting my wrist for the hundredth time."

AJ stared at him. Her knees felt weak, like they would give out. She wished for the world that the ground would stop tilting. "You're trying to take advantage of me," she crossed her arms, despite her weakened state. "Not cool, Klaus."

Klaus put a hand on her arm, keeping her balanced. "No, I'm merely being practical. How would you feel if you had to cut open your wrist as much as I've had to? Not great, I can tell you that."

AJ shook her head slowly. It was really the only way she could, without causing herself any more pain. "Suck it up, Original. I'm sure you've had worse. Or are you really that _girlish_?"

Klaus gave her a hard look. "It was only a suggestion." In a swift movement, he'd slit open his wrist once more with the knife. Dropping the knife to the ground, he held out his wrist for her. "Well," he said expectantly, "Are you going to drink?"

AJ swallowed hard before stepping closer to him. Her eyes met his once more as she took his arm in her hands. She closed them when she dipped her head down, and her lips pressed onto his wrist. His blood was warm and sweet; it was like honey, but with a little spark to it. Her tongue slid out over his wrist, gliding over the shallow wound almost seductively. She didn't realize she was doing it; the urge took over her the moment she'd tasted his blood.

Suddenly she jerked back. Her boot caught on a root sticking up out of the ground, and she stumbled backwards. Klaus caught her easily, cradling her gently in his arms. He gave her a questioning look. "What's wrong?"

AJ shook her head, pushing away from him. Her vision had returned to its normal clarity. Raising a hand to her neck, she found that the wound had cleared up. "Nothing," she breathed, "It's nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing," he observed, his voice insinuating his suspicion.

AJ looked at the ground. "Forget it, okay? Thanks for the blood—I'm healed and all. Now can we just—"she stopped short, her eyes landing on a hybrid bent over on the ground. Without a second thought, she backed up to Klaus.

Sensing her sudden shift in mood, Klaus looked around. The hybrids were all on the ground now, their knees pulled up to their chins as they shivered and convulsed. He knew this was exactly what had happened before Ray had lost his wits. "Bloody hell," he cursed. His arms wrapped around AJ, encircling her. "I'm going to take you back to the truck—"

"No," she protested immediately. "No, I'm not going back." Not when Elena and the others could still be out here. If all the hybrids lost it at once, they'd surely go after fresh blood. And AJ wouldn't be the only one.

"AJ, now is not the time for your feelings of obligation to other people. I'm taking you back to the truck, and you'll wait there for me," Klaus said, and his voice left no room for arguing. AJ could always make room, though.

"Yeah? And do you really think leaving me alone down there is such a great idea? Stefan hasn't returned with Ray, which means Ray is still out there somewhere. As much as I hate to admit this, and I mean _really_ hate to, but I'm safest here. With you."

Klaus stared down at her. "Not now, you aren't," he forced himself to say. Then he picked her up, one arm under her knees and the other supporting her shoulders. AJ pounded her fists against his chest, furious. "Klaus!" she screamed angrily, and then gasped. He was speeding down a trail, on his way back to the truck. The world was a blur, and AJ held onto him tightly, her arms circling his neck, clinging. Vertigo erupted in her stomach, and she pinched her eyes shut. Then everything stopped so abruptly, AJ felt like half of her had been left somewhere else. A door opened. She opened her eyes, dizzy, to see Klaus staring down at her from where she was settled into a leather seat. "Stay here," he said. Then he slammed the car door shut, closing her in.

"Klaus!" she screamed out, putting a hand to the window. But it was useless. He was gone.

* * *

><p>AJ had fallen asleep in the truck against her own volition, and woken up to the sounds of the morning birds chirping outside. As she now looked overhead at the purple-pink sky the color of amethyst, a surge of panic washed over her. It'd been hours, and Klaus hadn't come back down to the truck for her. Neither had Stefan. Which meant one of two things: Stefan had been killed, and Klaus had been, too, although he really couldn't die, or something else had gone terribly wrong. Or, perhaps, they'd just forgotten all about her. She presumed that was always a possibility.<p>

But her worry lasted as she trudged up the mountain. She didn't know the exact way back to the campsite—she'd been unconscious most of the time they'd gone up—but she let her instinct guide her. Her thoughts were reeling. Several times she considered just taking the truck and leaving, to go back to Elijah and Elena where she'd be one-hundred percent safe, but in the end she couldn't bring herself to. What'd happened with the hybrids? Did Klaus manage to contain them, or were they running wild through the forest? Would she come across one? Was Stefan okay, and Elijah and Elena? AJ felt like tearing her hair out, but she just took in deep breaths. Everything would be fine, she told herself. It had to be.

Her legs were growing weary, and she wished she had some water. But the smell of smoke made her heartbeat quicken. It had to be from the fire last night—she was close. Picking up her pace, she pushed through foliage, snapping twigs and crunching leaves without much care. She just wanted to see if everything was all right.

She broke through some shrubbery, and found herself back at the campsite. The sun had pulled up farther in the sky, and light now spilled down into it; golden and bright. But as her eyes scanned over the area, she sucked in a silent gasp. The hybrids—or whatever they were supposed to be called—were sprawled all over the place. Some were messes of organs and blood, and others were just mangled bodies. In the center of the clearing, on the bench, sat Klaus. His eyes were as dull as AJ had ever seen them, and his shoulders were drooped.

Stefan, too, walked back into clearing just then. Ray's body was perched over his shoulders, and he bent and threw it to the ground. It landed with a sick and hollow _thunk_. Stefan kneeled over, holding onto the bite wound on his arm. He grunted in pain. There was a long silence. AJ knew Klaus was aware of their presence, and when he finally chose to speak, she held her breath.

"They went rabid," he said detachedly. AJ could see right through it. He looked pained; absurdly pained. "Some of them I killed, the others just… bled out." Klaus stood, approaching Stefan; there was a bottle of beer in his hand. He glanced over at AJ. "In the end, they're all dead." His scary calmness shattered in an instant. He turned and chucked the bottle at a tree, breaking it into tiny shards. "I did everything I was told!" he screamed with anguish, making AJ cringe. The veins in his forehead popped out, and he clenched his fists until they were completely white. "I should be able to turn them," he said through clenched teeth. "I broke the curse, I killed a werewolf, I killed a vampire, I killed the doppelganger." Klaus looked up at Stefan suddenly, his expression hard. Stefan pressed his lips together, anxious. "You look like hell," Klaus observed sardonically, his mood changed like flipping a coin.

Stefan was no less tense. "Last I checked, I'm dying," he pointed out carefully. The wound on his arm was nasty; it'd spread since the last time AJ had seen it. It looked veiny and rotting. "You don't want to heal me." Klaus's gaze dropped down to Ray. Stefan looked down reluctantly. "I had to take him out. I had no other choice. I failed you," he stated, looking back at Klaus. "I am sorry. Do what you have to do."

AJ held her breath, and her stomach tightened, staying away from the two vampires. But she didn't want to see Stefan die. After everything else that'd happened, it would be the postage stamp on the letter sending her deep into depression.

Klaus was impassive. "It should have worked," he said simply before turning back around and grabbing an empty beer bottle beside the log bench. He used his fangs to tear open his wrist, and squeezed the blood into the bottle. He stepped towards Stefan again, holding it out. It reminded AJ of the way someone would hold something out as a sign of truce. But this was Klaus. There was no truce to be made with him. "Bottoms up," he said, and all traces of his previous anger had dissipated except for the dark gleam in his eye.

Stefan took the bottle warily.

"We're leaving," Klaus said and turned to walk off towards another path. Before he took even three steps, he stopped again. His eyes roamed over the bodies of the hybrids with a twinge of sadness. He looked like a soldier leaving behind his brothers-in-arms, AJ thought with a bizarre sense of understanding. Then he glanced from Stefan to AJ, guarded and impassive. "It appears you two are the only comrades I have left." He left then, heading off towards the opposite side of the campsite, disappearing behind some foliage. AJ stared after him. The way he'd left tore at her. She could finally see what was wrong.

Stefan stole a sidelong glance at AJ before taking a swig of the bottle. He held out his injured arm, and watched as skin formed on the sides of the gash, filling it in until there was no longer any wound.

"Better?" AJ asked quietly, crossing the small bit of space over to him. She crossed her arms over her chest to fend off the coolness of the morning.

Stefan nodded. "You good?"

AJ blinked at him a moment. It was the first time he'd ever asked her if she was okay, through the whole summer. Like he even cared. "Yeah," she nudged some sticks in the ground with her boot. "I'm fine." She wanted so badly to ask if he'd seen Elijah. Was he okay? Had he actually bothered to come and try to save her? But she couldn't. Not yet.

"About that problem yesterday," Stefan said in a low voice, not meeting her eyes. "It's no longer a problem. I handled it."

AJ searched Stefan's face raptly. He was trying to tell her without actually _telling_ her. So he had the others go home? They were okay? After a moment, AJ nodded. "I see." She glanced off to where Klaus had been, not moments ago. Absentmindedly, her hand found the necklace he'd given her. "Before we leave, I want to talk to him. Give me a minute?"

Stefan nodded. "I was going to head back to the truck. Want me to stick around?"

"No," AJ said confidently, "I'll be fine. You should go back down."

He looked at her, pressing his lips together. "All right."

AJ watched Stefan leave before heading over to Klaus. He hadn't gone to the trail the led back to the truck; he went to the other side that she wasn't very familiar with. She picked her way over corpses and rocks, careful to remain detached about it. But she couldn't help but think how terrible their deaths were.

Ducking under a low branch, AJ stepped onto a large rocky surface. Klaus was here, overlooking the ridge he stood not a foot away from. Below them stretched miles and miles of forest-green tree tops, from pines to other deciduous vegetation. Peaks of the Smoky Mountains rose up beyond them in the distance, only slightly concealed by a fine mist manifested by the cool morning. With the added sunlight, the view was beautiful. She wished she had her sketchbook with her, but that wasn't what she was here for. She turned her attention back to the Original.

Carefully, AJ stepped towards Klaus, nearing the edge of the ridge. He hadn't moved since she arrived.

"Klaus," she said quietly. He still didn't move. But she could see his eyes wandering over the landscape before them. With a frown, she stepped closer. "Klaus, are you okay?"

His expression broke when he laughed without humor. He continued to keep his eyes on the tree-tops; anything so that he wouldn't have to look at her. "Okay? Am _I_ okay? What a curious question you ask."

AJ blinked at him with confusion. "I don't think it's ridiculous to ask if you're okay. After what happened—"

"What happened," he interjected in a hard tone, "Is that something went wrong with their transition. I did exactly as I was told to do, and yet it still didn't work. But all problems have solutions. What happened can be fixed."

"Can it?" AJ asked, crossing her arms. "Because I meant that you had to watch other creatures like you die. You had to kill some of them. _That_ is what happened."

Klaus regarded her finally, baffled. "Your point is? I've seen death, AJ. It's not something new to me."

AJ sighed. "My point is that I see it, Klaus. I see you. However strange that is—and believe me, I think it's _beyond_ strange—I see you. Even if you can't properly see yourself."

"I still don't get your point," he said impatiently, looking away from her again.

AJ pressed her lips together, moving to stand in front of him. A surge of vertigo went through her stomach; her back was to the edge of the ridge, and it was a very steep drop down. Despite her uneasiness, she pointedly locked her gaze on him. He rolled his eyes and looked at her, annoyed. "What with your occasional clumsiness," Klaus began, "I would highly recommend not standing there. Wouldn't want you to fall." He smirked.

"No," she said confidently, "You wouldn't. You wouldn't let me fall, would you?"

Klaus's smirk fell into a glare. "Once again, I do not get what you're trying to say. You change the subject all too easily."

"Klaus, stop it. Stop pretending not to understand, or just not _trying_ to understand. Because _I_ do. I understand, perfectly."

He raised an eyebrow. "And just what do you think you understand? That your presence is rather annoying at the moment? I'd very much appreciate being left to my own company, thank you."

"No," AJ shook her head, her gaze intense. "I don't think so. I understand that what happened last night was hard for you, whether you choose to accept that or not. You finally created hybrids. You finally created other people like _you_. You weren't alone anymore; you weren't the only species of your kind. You weren't _alone_."

Klaus's mouth hardened into a fine line, and his eyes were dark. "You truly don't know what you're talking about. Stefan said he was going back to the truck. I advise you to do the same. I'll be there in five minutes."

AJ groaned in annoyance. "Why won't you listen to me? I'm trying to get through to you, Klaus. I'm trying to get you to see that I get it now. Why are you just pushing me away?"

Klaus closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing. Behind him, a faint breeze rustled the leaves in the canopy and shrubs. She shivered involuntarily. "AJ," he said in a light warning tone, "Do not test me. Not now."

"Because you already feel like hell, don't you?" she pressed. "Because you feel alone? I'm not trying to upset you; I'm trying to _talk_ to you."

"Why?" he asked harshly, his eyes ablaze with fire. "Why even bother? I disgust you. I'm a monster. A sick thing that isn't meant to exist, as you said in your own words."

AJ shook her head slowly, looking at him sadly. "No, Klaus. I didn't mean it. I was frustrated back at the bar, that's all. And I don't think you're a monster—not all the time. You gave me this, didn't you?" She fingered the necklace at the base of her throat. "And you killed the hybrid that tried to kill me. And I bet," she said, taking tiny steps back even as her brain told her to do just the opposite, "You wouldn't let me fall from here, either. Because you _do_ care."

"AJ," Klaus said through clenched teeth, "Stop. Do not be stupid."

AJ looked up at him, eyes clear, unmasked and unguarded. Her stomach gave twists and wiggles of nerves. She could feel the wind on her back, shifting her slightly. "I'm not being stupid," she said as she continued to back up. She stopped when she felt the back of her boots breach the edge of the ridge, and she quickly shifted her weight to her toes. Butterflies suffused through her stomach. "You are. You aren't listening to me, so I'm just getting your attention and proving a point at the same time."

He glared at her with extreme intensity. Panic washed over her. Was she being stupid to believe that he'd care or not whether she fell? Had he gotten fed up with saving her and this was the last straw? AJ closed her eyes. She guessed she'd just have to find out.

Before she could even step back, Klaus had roughly pulled her away from the edge. AJ opened her eyes in shock, stumbling into him. She smiled when she realized what he'd done. But it slowly diminished as she took in his furious expression. She took a step back, safe because they were now several feet away from the edge.

"I swear you have a death wish," Klaus spat, glaring at her, "It's either that, or you're testing your own mortality. I feel I must inform you that, yes, should you fall from a cliff, you will in fact die."

AJ's smile reappeared, but it was small. "You're choosing not to see it again; not to recognize it. But you care, Klaus. Not just about me, but about them. Those hybrids. Do you know why?"

He rolled his eyes. "Please, do grace me with your great wisdom."

"Because," her smile took on a twinge of sadness. "You feel alone, like I've said. Having the other hybrids—it was like maybe they could understand you, wasn't it?"

Klaus rubbed at his eyes, now completely annoyed. "What makes you think so? What makes you think you have the slightest idea of what's going on? No, I don't care for them. I don't care for you. I might be the only living thing of my kind, but I am stronger for that. You see things wrong."

"I don't think I do," she said quietly. "And even though you say you don't care—not about them or me—I'm going to tell you."

"Bloody fantastic," Klaus muttered.

AJ ignored the side comment. "Ever since the very first day I met Elijah, the day Rose and Trevor kidnapped me and I found out I was the Warrior, I have never felt so alone. I mean, I have. I've always been different from everyone else. I never see things the same way as other people do. No matter how many friends I have, I usually wind up alone anyway. But it was all very clear when Rose told me what I was. It was very clear, and very depressing. I hate knowing that there isn't anyone _living_ who is like me. All the others are dead; long dead. And from what you and Elijah have told me, I'm not like them anyway. So in the barest sense of the word, I am alone. Like you. There isn't anyone else in existence like us. We might wish there was, just to have someone to relate to, so that we wouldn't feel so isolated from everyone else, but I've realized that I'm also glad it's just me. I wouldn't want to make anyone else suffer with what I've been through. I—"

"Stop," Klaus demanded, holding a hand up. He was as impassive as ever. "Just stop. This 'we'—there is no we. I do not feel whatever you do. I am an Original—I do not _feel_. So stop trying appeal to whatever it is you think I have inside me. Because I don't have it."

AJ stared at him, biting her lip. This was it. This was her chance to finally get through to him. But she was treading dangerous waters, and she knew it. She also knew that Elijah may not be very happy about this. But he wasn't here. Not now. And she could finally see the cracks in Klaus's nearly perfect composure. "But you do," she said quietly, stepping closer to him. Her eyes were glued to the ground, now, and she could feel her heartbeat quicken. "I know that you do. You feel things, Klaus. So stop pretending you don't. I remember back in Mystic falls, when you kissed me, and—"

"And _nothing_, AJ," he said harshly. "That was when I had to break the curse, and you would have been the easiest way to do that. The kiss meant nothing, and you're ridiculous to think otherwise."

"_Klaus_," she stressed his name, frowning at him. "Stop it. Just stop trying to keep the act up—the 'I'm a heartless hybrid, uncaring for anything and anyone,'" she spat. "I am trying to get through to you."

He scowled at her. "What does it matter? It makes no difference either way."

AJ looked up at him, and for the first time, she felt like she was seeing him entirely. She could see his beauty, the way she'd seen it back in the bar. She could see the tragedy, too. His eyes were once more dull, and he was frowning. He looked away from her, weary. But that wasn't all she could see. Slowly, she reached out and put her hand over his. It was warm and rough, but soft and smooth at the same time. Quickly, he looked back down at her.

"What—"

"Klaus," she said, "You and I, albeit extremely different, have our similarities. And you not trusting anyone—that's probably the worst thing, besides being isolated. _Because_ you're isolating yourself. So… I guess I'm just trying to say that you can. Trust me, I mean."

Klaus stared down at her, all of his walls built high up. A silence came over them, and AJ pressed her lips together with nerves. Her hand was still on his, and it warmed her from the cool breeze. She could hear her heart pounding hard in her ears. A blush creeped onto her face; she knew he could hear it, too.

Suddenly, he shifted, his gaze dropping to their hands. Slowly, he turned his over and intertwined his fingers with hers. His touch was gentle and soft. He shook his head. "I want to trust you," he said in a low voice. "But I don't know if I can."

AJ studied his face. His walls were partly down, and she could see how torn he looked. It wouldn't take too much convincing. He needed this. "Klaus," she said quietly, "You _can_. I'm not asking you to change your plans or anything like that. I'm not trying to change you. I'm simply asking that you trust me. That's all."

He raised his eyes, searching her hazel ones for any signs of treachery. He sighed. "If I trust you, will you trust me?"

AJ was taken by surprise. "I—yes," she said, much to her own bewilderment. "Yes, I will. Because if you can try to trust me, then I can try to trust you."

Klaus nodded. There was a frown on his face. "Then are you willing to hear me out? About my brother, I mean."

AJ swallowed hard. Her heart began to beat rapidly again. She looked off to the side, studying the wildflowers growing in a small grove a couple feet away. She wasn't sure if she could hear him out. Wouldn't he be lying? But wasn't she supposed to trust that he wasn't? She closed her eyes. Her head swam with conflicting thoughts. But—couldn't she hear him out and pretend to trust him, anyway? That was the point, wasn't it? Something about that didn't feel right to her. And yet, she would have to go with it. Meeting his eyes again, she breathed in and out steadily. "Okay," she said with a tinge of reluctance. "I'll hear you out."

He released his hand from hers, and for a moment her hope sank. But he was pulling something out of his back pocket. His face regained its usual impassiveness, but AJ wasn't sure why. She held her breath.

"I do not deny killing the majority of my family because of conflicting… perspectives," Klaus began, keeping the piece of paper hidden in his hands. He was staring down at it though, as if it saddened him greatly. "But with Elijah, things were different. He had been by my side for centuries—I trusted him to be there for centuries more. To help me break the curse. But then Katerina escaped, and he couldn't bring her back because she'd made the transition into a vampire. My attempt to break the curse had been riddled, and Elijah was gone. Grief for the loss of our family overtook him, I suppose. And he was angry with me. I _had_ threatened him… anyway, that doesn't matter now. Then this year, rumors of another doppelganger as well as a Warrior surface. It couldn't be coincidence that both rumors surfaced at the same time. So I prepared, sending out factions of compelled vampires to look into different areas for me. All the while, Elijah had already been with you. Yes, Rose and Trevor had taken you to him, but I believe he would have found you by other means without their help."

AJ was growing increasingly confused. "I'm not really understanding what you want me to get…"

Klaus nodded solemnly, expecting this. He held up the paper now, turning it so that AJ could see it. "Is this familiar to you?" he asked, tapping the paper with a finger. There was a picture in the middle.

AJ was wary. "Klaus, if this is one of your victims, I swear—"

"No," he said sadly. "Not one of mine. One of Elijah's. Please—just look."

AJ looked at him with confusion, but did as he asked. She examined it like it was a piece of evidence at a crime scene. It was regular white paper that could be printed off a computer, and she suspected that was what happened in this case. It'd been folded several times, and the creases ran deep as if he'd held onto it for quite a while. At the top of the paper in heavy black ink were the words MISSING. In the very middle was a picture of a girl. AJ cocked her head to the side, squinting at the picture. The girl had dark brown hair, pretty eyes, and a bright smile. She was holding a stuffed animal of some kind—it was too dark to make it out. There was information below the picture. From what she gathered from it, the girl had been eight years old when she'd gone missing, and she'd lived in Illinois. The little girl's name was Alexandra Jaeger.

She looked back up at Klaus questioningly. "Who is Alexandra Jaeger? Klaus—I don't get it."

The way he was looking at her could only be described as remorseful. Remorseful and Klaus never _ever_ went hand in hand. An uneasy feeling blossomed in her stomach. "A J," he said the letters separately, his voice gruff, "Alexandra Jaeger—it's you. You're Elijah's victim."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So I totally wrote the whole 'Klaus, you feel alone' thing **_**before**_** that episode that revealed that aired. Weird? I think so. But cool? Yes. Anyway, please give me your thoughts! (-:**


	5. This Means Evil

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

* * *

><p><strong>Five<strong>

AJ couldn't tear her horrified gaze away from Klaus. She couldn't feel anything—all of her senses had numbed with his last sentence. Only her mind seemed to function, and just barely at that. It was stuck on repeat, as the last few words he'd said sequenced through it. 'Alexandra Jaeger—it's you. You're Elijah's victim.'

She opened her mouth to say something, as she already had five previous times, but still no words came out. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes. An image of Elijah formed behind her eyelids, so perfect and real. His liquid brown eyes gazing at her lovingly, his wonderful smile, the beautiful way with which he laughed. That was Elijah. That was her love, the way person he'd come to be because of her. And she was _his_ love. Not his victim—the word made her think of morgues and corpses on slabs of cold, shiny metal. No. She wasn't a victim of anything.

"Yes," Klaus said quietly. "You are his victim, AJ. It's the only way I can describe it."

AJ looked at him, wide eyed. She hadn't realized she'd even spoken. "No," she said, her voice cracked and strained. "Elijah would never do anything to hurt me—he loves me."

Klaus dropped his gaze to his hands. They were still standing on the ridge, and the sun was beginning to rise higher into the sky. It was no longer an amethyst purple, but a bright, cloudless blue. He was keeping an eye on her in his peripherals. If she ever truly decided to do something to harm herself, he believed now would be the time. "AJ," he said, "Believe me when I tell you that I didn't want you to know about this—I knew it'd be terribly painful for you. But you have every right to know."

"No!" she shouted, turning around. Her voice echoed around them, a wretched noise. She breathed in and out raggedly. "He wouldn't do this! He wouldn't!" The world turned dreamlike and surreal. This wasn't happening. It wasn't true—Klaus couldn't be trusted. She didn't even know specifically what wasn't true; she just knew that it wasn't. It didn't matter that she said she'd try to trust him; it was an impossibility at this point. He was a liar—that was all he'd ever be. But deep down, she knew that his remorse wasn't pretense. He wouldn't even know how to fake feeling remorseful. Her breathing turned to wheezing, and she feared she was having a panic attack.

Klaus was in front of her in a flash. "Calm down," he said gently, putting a hand on her arm and rubbing it up and down. "You need to calm down, AJ."

She shook her head and backed away from him. Her world, at its very core, tore apart. It ripped open at the very fragile seams she'd mended it with months ago and sucked up anything and everything she once knew to be the absolute truth, replacing it with strange and foreign things that had no meaning to her. Things that didn't fit, that didn't belong there. It was like a finished puzzle had been scrambled, burned and melted, and now all the pieces were contorted and wrong. This wasn't right. It wasn't true. It _couldn't _be. She hadn't even realized she'd fallen to her knees, or that tears were streaming down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands, silently sobbing. A feeling at her very core told her that it was true. Somehow, she knew it was true, to some extent. But her conscious mind chose to deny it.

Klaus stood back, unsure of what to do. He'd never had to handle a situation like this before. He hadn't even had a plan when he first decided she should know. He simply knew that she should; she deserved it. But now she looked more broken than he'd ever seen her, and he wasn't sure how to fix it.

Her head whipped up suddenly, and her gaze was intense through her red-rimmed eyes. "How?" she asked hoarsely. "And why? Why should I believe you?"

Klaus pressed his lips together. "Perhaps we should wait and talk about this when you feel—"

"No," AJ said in a dark tone, one that seemed so foreign in her voice. "I want to talk about this now."

Klaus frowned at her, but nodded acquiescently. "As you wish. May I sit?"

AJ sniffled and shook her head up and down. Klaus sat in front of her, his eyes roaming over her visage scrupulously in concern. But it was masked behind layers of guarded remorse. "When I first heard of you, I told you that I sent out factions of compelled vampires to try and find you. Each of them came up blank. Time after time, I grew very frustrated—nothing really worked. No spell from any powerful witch, no information other than the rumors, no proof. It's not easy locating a Warrior—you don't come from one single bloodline, like the Petrova bloodline. You come from several different ones. So I decided to start there. I went through each name, looking through hospital records to find out where the child was born and where they were then. Nothing about them really stood out, and I knew that it was possible for a new bloodline to be added, if they were much stronger than the others. But then I found something." He waved the piece of paper in the air, none too enthusiastically. "The other children were sons or daughters of doctors or factory workers. They were in school, getting average grades and whatnot. But then I came across this—this missing child. I immediately thought that it couldn't be a coincidence that one of the bloodline children went missing."

"And so you investigated," AJ said almost snidely, but she wasn't sure where the biting feelings were meant to be directed at. Don't shoot the messenger, she thought sardonically. But Klaus was hardly a messenger.

Klaus nodded. "Yes. I went to the address listed here, thinking that there was a fifty-fifty chance that there was something special about this child. They could have truly been abducted or murdered even, or they could have been taken away for a very… unique purpose. I met your—the parents," he mended, "I compelled them, asking questions. Neither had any clue what had happened to their child. They said she'd vanished one day—she was just gone. They hadn't gotten a ransom call or anything. So then I knew."

AJ wiped the tears in her eyes with the back of her hand. "You knew that the child was the Warrior. The one you'd been searching for." Her tone was deflated; void of life. Her eyes were dull and free of any luster that once filled them.

Klaus sighed heavily. "Yes. And I knew that there was only one other creature on the earth who'd also knew of your existence, your importance in my breaking of the curse. It could only have been Elijah."

AJ shook her head, pinching her eyes shut. "How does it make any sense?" she whispered. "He loves me, Klaus. I know he does. So how does it make sense?"

Klaus was silent for a few moments, deep in thought. AJ had opened her eyes and was studying him with a sense of detachment. She didn't feel right at all. She didn't feel like she belonged here or anywhere for that matter. It was like some void had opened up before her, and she was being pulled into it, sinking down like deadweight in quicksand. A dark feeling enveloped her, pushing down on her lungs, but there was something fighting that feeling. Some kind of hope and altogether knowing that was so abstract, she couldn't put words to it.

"I think," Klaus spoke up, "That in a way, it does make sense."

AJ clenched her fists together, preparing for whatever gruesome conclusion he'd come to. "And how is that?"

Klaus met her eyes reluctantly. "He was probably keeping you safe back then—from me. Eventually I would have found you. At that age, I wouldn't have known what to do with you—probably just leave a vampire to watch over and keep you safe until you were older. But Elijah rescued you, as he always seems to be doing. And then he went back to Mystic Falls when the rumors rose once more, only this time with there was word of a doppelganger. He went to keep you safe yet again."

AJ looked away, making a sound of complete agony. "_Safe_," she spat the word like it was the dirtiest thing she knew. "What he did was wrong—if I even believe it."

"I know that you don't want to," Klaus said, "You don't have to believe me, AJ. But I'm asking you to, just as you asked for my trust."

AJ sucked in a breath, trying to regain her composure. She gave him a sidelong look. "After everything you've done… you have to understand that it's hard."

"Yes. And after everything I've seen, all the times I've been deceived by others, you must understand that it's very difficult for me as well."

AJ nodded to herself. She knew that perfectly well. With her fingertips, she rubbed at her temples as she glared at the ground. "AJ," she said, enunciating the letters separately. "Alexandra Jaeger. That's why my name is AJ. I never really asked my parents why they'd give me such a weird name. It's a little pretentious, too. AJ Echo. I'd just figured that they named me after some great-grandparent or something, and their real name was ridiculous."

Klaus said nothing as she began to put the pieces together. But she faced him once more, glowering. "And you knew that for a very long time, haven't you? You could have told me the very first day you met me. But you didn't."

"AJ," Klaus sighed, his voice strained, "I had no intention of keeping you alive back then, if you didn't comply with my wishes. That much I knew. I would have had a vampire look over you until you were old enough to understand, and if you didn't comply, I would have killed you. But… things changed. They grew complicated."

AJ raised an eyebrow, a scowl on her lips. "Really? And what things would that be? How'd they get complicated?"

Klaus shook his head, looking at her solemnly. "Not now. We will not discuss those things now. We are speaking of you—what you don't yet know about yourself."

AJ scoffed. "We could talk about that for days, apparently. What else do you know that I don't? Why did the Echos' take me in? Why do they think I'm their child?"

A muscle flexed in Klaus's jaw. He breathed in a moment, thinking things over. "I believe," he said carefully, "That Elijah compelled them to think so. It would only make sense, unless they truly offered."

"But it _doesn't_ make sense," AJ argued. "Not at all. If I'm not their child, then why do my brother and I look alike?"

Klaus paused. "Surely you've taken a biology class," he said carefully. "Science often argues that the immediate environment influences many things, including appearance. Were you two very close?"

Her face pinched together with anger. "I hate this," she said suddenly, with such acridness that Klaus tensed. "I hate this so much." She shoved to her feet, feeling wobbly and erroneous. Reasserting her balance, she crossed her arms. Klaus was on his feet a moment later. "Why couldn't you have told me sooner? Why not the first time I met you? Things would have gone much more smoothly for _you_."

"Perhaps they would have," he said, "But at the time, I was uncertain of your temper. For all I could have known, you might have done something… unwise."

Raising an eyebrow, she said, "Unwise, as in hurt myself? Or kill myself, even? Do I look that 'unwise' to you?"

Klaus looked down at her, his lips pressed together. It seemed that there was a new barrier between them, tall and wide, perhaps impervious to any comfort, could he have even offered any. "You look distressed and angry to me. Not unwise. But I admit, I do fear that your more dangerous tendencies will surface."

She breathed in and out slowly, carefully. "You don't need to worry about that," she said quietly, "I'm not stupid. Can I see the paper again?" She held out her hand expectantly, but didn't look at him. Klaus hesitated before placing it in her palm. Without unfolding it again, she shoved it into her pocket. Then she met his eyes slowly. "Stefan's probably tired of waiting for us. Where are we going next?"

He didn't answer; he only stared down at her for a long moment. "You're no longer upset?" he finally asked.

Her gaze dropped. "I am," she said shortly. "But that isn't important right now. I told Stefan we'd only be a moment, and I'm sure he's losing his patience. You said we were leaving earlier, so I'm guessing you know where we're headed. So where to next?"

Klaus shook his head slowly. "You're very puzzling. But I suppose you're right. We should be on our way. Of course, if you still want to talk—"

"I don't," she said in a sharp tone. Checking herself, she gave him an apologetic look, mending, "I don't right now. You can go head down. I'll be right there."

He didn't move from his spot. "I'm not going to leave you up here. You were only a moment ago nearing breaking down—"

"Klaus," she didn't look at him, "I'm not going to do anything stupid, and I'm not breaking down." He gave her a disbelieving look. "Okay, so I am partially breaking down. But—it's nothing I can't fix, if not for just awhile. I just want to think for a moment, by myself."

He paused, and then nodded, slowly passing by her. "Don't be too long," he said over his shoulder, "We're going to want to get on the road soon. And if you do anything stupid, you will regret it."

She rolled her eyes wearily and watched him leave, wiping at a few stray tears. As soon as he was gone, she stepped toward the ridge once more, looking out as the sun continued to climb higher into the sky. Images surged through her mind, one after the other, building up. Her mother, Laura, looking at her with the most stricken expression as she packed up her things to leave. It was time to leave, she'd told herself back then, she needed to. And then her father had come upstairs, yelling at her, screaming in tone she'd never heard before. Ben, her brother, had merely stood in her doorway, not objecting to her decision, but not completely for it, either. Still, she'd packed her bags and put them in her car. She hadn't spared a glance back until the very last second, when she was pulling away and her Laura was crying into Robert's arms. But why? Why would they feel that way? Those people—they weren't her parents. She had no blood of theirs, no kinship. She didn't belong with them. But who did she belong with? Who were the Jaegers? Who was _she?_ Alexandra Jaeger—the name rang throughout her head over and over again, like something so familiar yet so foreign. But the question that pressed numbing icicles into her heart was: who was _Elijah?_ What has he done?

Shaking her head, she turned on her heel to walk back down to Klaus and Stefan. She may not have many answers right now, but she would get them. And Elijah… he was still Elijah. What Klaus had said before, back in Tennessee about him not loving her—that surely wasn't true. She still loved him, dearly. But the next time she saw him, he'd better be prepared for a torrent of questions. Maybe even getting staked one or two times.

* * *

><p>AJ had fallen asleep long after they departed from the Smoky Mountains, her thoughts churning with the name Alexandra Jaeger. Ultimately, her drowsiness had won out, and the motion of the car had lulled her into a deep sleep. Once or twice, she'd woken up, barely aware of what was going on until she looked outside and saw that they were still on the highway. The second time she'd woke, night had already fallen. She'd fallen back asleep again, her hand absently on the sun pendant that belonged to Klaus. Deep down, she knew that was the entire reason why she could rest well enough to retain some energy from it. However much she loathed that, she was also very grateful. It seemed to also keep the nightmares away, at least most of the time. There had been one or two that breached the walls in her mind; they'd been of Elijah, stealing away from her true family while she cried and screamed, kicked and fought, but he never let her go. He took her away, placing her in the care of strangers. The nightmares had faded away, dissipating at her will.<p>

Now, as she woke, the dark of the early hours of morning greeted her. She'd become familiar with the difference between the blackness of the night, and the bleary shadowed sky of the morning. She sat up slowly, rubbing at her eyes. The truck was gliding into a warehouse, behind the larger dwarf-semi that contained the coffined bodies of Klaus's family. A shudder ran down her spine, but she quickly averted those thoughts, blinking around the warehouse.

"Welcome to Chicago, Stefan," Klaus was saying as they pulled to a stop. He glanced back at AJ, raising an eyebrow. "Good to see you've woken. You won't want to miss this." Abruptly, he opened his door and stepped out of the truck, followed by a wary Stefan. He exchanged an uncertain glance with AJ before he stepped outside.

"What are we doing here?" he asked, eyes narrowing as Klaus pulled open a heavy steel door at the far end of the room. AJ slid out of her seat, shoving her door open as well. Her boots touched the cement ground, and she slowly put her weight on her feet. Her muscles strained in protest as she did. Twisting from side to side, she stretched her achy muscles. Her eyes squinted against the harsh lighting in the warehouse, and she yawned as she slowly approached Stefan and Klaus. They both looked perfectly awake and fantastic, whereas she was certain there were dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was a little disheveled. Damn vampires. It was like they could go for days without feeling even a little bit tired, or messing up their freaking hair.

"Well," Klaus was saying as he opened the door wider with a broad smile on his face, exposing the glittering towers that made up Chicago off in the distance, "I know how much you loved it here. Bringing back memories of the good old ripper days."

Stefan squared his shoulders, gazing out at the city. "They're blacked out, mostly. A lot of blood, a lot of partying," he said in a way that seemed like the memories weren't very fond ones as he leaned against the doorframe. "The details are all a blur."

"Well that is a crying shame," Klaus said, the sides of his mouth pulling up in a devious smile. "It's the details that make it legend. Chicago was magical."

"Yeah, well I'll take your word for it," Stefan glanced back at him, wary. "Like I said, I don't remember much of it." He pushed off the doorframe, headed back towards AJ.

"Straight down to business, then," Klaus said, shutting the door.

Stefan crossed his arms, glancing from AJ to Klaus. "Why are we still waiting, Klaus? We had our fun, your hybrids failed… I mean, don't you want to move on?"

Klaus's face was impassive. "We're going to see my favorite witch," he said, "If anyone can help us with our hybrid problem, it's her."

AJ stepped back toward the door Klaus had closed, pulling it open once more. With her eyes on the lighted city, she pulled out the piece of paper Klaus had given her from her back pocket, unfolding it. Her gaze dropped down to it as she skimmed the lines with information. The Jaegers had lived in Illinois. Were they anywhere around Chicago? Did they move? An image of Elijah flashed in her mind, straining her heart. But she wasn't angry with him. Not yet, anyway, not fully and completely. She would hear him out. But what of her family? Did he know anything about them?

"AJ, darling," Klaus said from behind her, "What are you doing?"

Quickly, she folded the paper back up and shoved it into her pocket again. "Nothing," she said, "I'll be right there." What did it matter if they did or didn't live around here? They probably thought she was dead by now. It'd probably tear them apart to find out that she'd grown up with another family, unaware of their existence. She was tired of hurting people, even if she couldn't have done anything about it. Slowly, she shut the door again. Then she turned back to join Stefan and Klaus.

An hour later, they were walking into a dim-lit bar. It was classier than SOUTHERN COMFORT, with a swirly modern GLORIA'S neon pink string sign behind the main bar area. Small dust motes swirled in the air, giving the place an ancient feeling. It even smelled like history. Around the bar was crescent shaped booths, dimly smoldering sconces hanging on walls, among other things that were meant to give it a classier feel. As AJ watched the slightly awed look on Stefan's face, she knew this was a place full of memories.

Stefan had headed straight in, with Klaus breezing in behind him. AJ had trailed behind the two vampires, wary. She had an odd feeling about this whole ordeal.

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus said to Stefan.

Stefan's gaze roamed about the bar with a twinge of reminiscence. "I can't believe this place is still here." He planted his hands on a banister separating the elevated floor from the bar area, leaning on it. AJ leaned against a large post, separate from Klaus and Stefan.

"You've gotta be kidding me," a woman's voice spoke suddenly, making AJ follow the vampires as she whipped her head to find the source. An older woman, who AJ assumed was Gloria, stood at the top of a three-tiered staircase leading down into the bar. Her hair was grey and cropped short, like a man's, but suited her well. What stood out more prominently was her beautiful face, though it looked minimally wizened as if she wore a mask that added the slightest wrinkles to her smoothed out skin, and her dark, wise eyes. She was wearing a purple tank top, skinny jeans with boots, and shiny, silver jewelry. AJ figured she'd had to be a model or something back in her more glorious days.

Klaus was smirking. "So, a hybrid walks into a bar and says to the barkeeper—"

"Stop," Gloria said with a twinge of annoyance as she approached them, "You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny." As she walked, Stefan looked her over, and Klaus's smirk grew into a grin. Gloria regarded Stefan, an elegant eyebrow raised. "I remember you," she nodded.

"You're Gloria," Stefan stated, looking her over once more. "Shouldn't you be—"

"Old and dead?" she cut him off blatantly. A smile appeared on her lips. "Now if I die, who's going to run this place?"

"Gloria's a very powerful witch," Klaus said in a low voice to a puzzled Stefan and AJ.

"I can slow the aging down some," she explained, "Herbs and spells do the trick. But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day. Now," she said crisply, her eyes focusing in on AJ, "I recognize Stefan and Klaus, of course, but who is this darling girl, and how did you come to be traveling with the likes of these two?"

AJ smirked, as she leaned against the banister. "I do ask myself that every day, you know."

Klaus shot her a dirty look, and then turned to Stefan. "Stefan, why don't you go to the bar and fix us up some drinks, hm?"

Stefan glanced at AJ, unsure. But he nodded his head, stepping away. "Yeah, sure thing."

"You look ravishing, by the way," Klaus said to Gloria the moment Stefan was gone, getting the natural dark gleam in his eyes.

Gloria looked peeved. She held up a hand, shaking her head. "Don't." She walked over to a booth, sitting down. Klaus nudged AJ to follow, and he settled in beside her, across from Gloria. "I know why you're here," she said, sounding none too enthused. "A hybrid out to make more hybrids? That kind of new travels."

"So then you know _I_ need to know what I've done wrong. But I've also come for other things," he said, his eyes turning to AJ once more. Gloria was also looking at her intently, making AJ uncomfortable.

"Guys," she said, "I have this policy about people looking at me for too long—"

"I sense… power from you," Gloria interjected, sounding baffled. Her eyebrows pulled together, creating tiny creases in her forehead. "Great power. But something's blocking it—ah ha." Her eyes landed on the sun pendant of Klaus's, resting at the base of AJ's throat. Gloria gave Klaus a level look. "You bring her here with an amulet of protection?"

Klaus rolled his eyes dramatically. "She needed it. Darling," he said to AJ, "you can remove the necklace for now." AJ frowned in confusion, but did as he said. He held his hand out, and she carefully placed it in his palm. Feelings of what'd happened to her in the woods, before he'd given her the necklace passed over her; each of them was jarring and cruel. She shivered. "Now," he turned back to Gloria, "I need you to look at her."

Gloria looked dubiously between AJ and Klaus, but finally her eyes settled on AJ. "What are you, child? With the protection amulet, the power I could sense from you was great. Now, it's nearly… suffocating. But you can't possibly be—"

"_Please_ don't call me 'the Warrior'," AJ said. "I have serious issues with it, mostly because it's damaging to my femininity. Just call me AJ."

Gloria's eyes were bugging out, now looking over AJ with such examination that AJ could feel where the witch looked. It was disconcerting. "But that's impossible. Klaus never allows a Warrior to live, and they never accept helping him. How has this happened?"

"Well," AJ said in a flat tone, shooting Klaus a dark look, "I didn't choose to help him. At all. It's just a really long, complicated story. Quite boring, actually."

"On the contrary," the witch said with a twinge of awe, "I'd like to know—is there truly a dark Warrior?"

Shifting in her seat, AJ crossed her arms, looking down at the table. The blunt question made her insides squirm the way they used to when she did have separate polar opposite sides existing within the walls of her head. The returned feeling made her feel jittery and on-edge. "There is not," she said quietly, "A 'dark' Warrior. I'm not like that."

"You're _half_ like that," Klaus mended her words. She gave him the dirtiest glare she could manage. "Oh, come on, love. It's not a secret anymore."

"I told you not to call me that," AJ spat, growing more agitated by the second. This witch was giving her a strange feeling, and not having his necklace made her feel less peaceful. She'd never admit that to him, though.

Gloria was shaking her head slowly, her eyes never leaving AJ. "I have always wondered what the Warrior would be like. Of course, I'd always thought it'd be male…"

"And that is precisely the reason why I hate the term _Warrior_," AJ said, frowning.

"But truly—the energies you have within you—Klaus, why haven't you—"

Klaus tensed, speaking up immediately. "Gloria," he said pointedly, "I asked that you examine her. Something happened."

Gloria met his eyes knowingly, but seemed unhappy about something. AJ blinked between them, aware that they were both keeping a secret from her, but not sure why. Sighing as she gave up their wordless fight, Gloria rested her elbows on the cool table. "And what's happened, exactly?"

"Something attacked her in the woods," Klaus said, "She'd gone out for a short walk, but I heard her struggling. When I arrived, it seemed like something was strangling her."

"Okay," Gloria stressed the word, not getting the picture, "And? What was strangling her?"

"That's just it. There was nothing there, and yet she was being strangled. And it did something to her abdomen—there's a harsh, red circle left, and she'd been choking on blood." Klaus stole a sidelong glance at AJ as he said this, catching her nervous demeanor.

Gloria cocked her head slightly, also looking back at AJ. "You were being strangled by something invisible, and it inflicted a wound on you?"

Shrugging, AJ said, "One moment, I was headed out to a small clearing, and the next, I couldn't breathe. I couldn't really pay too much attention to detail at the time, since, you know, I was kind of dying. Anyway, the 'protection amulet' or whatever you called it stopped everything."

Gloria pursed her lips, shaking her head. "This doesn't make any sense…"

"_Lemur__ė_," Klaus said suddenly, "Have you heard anything of them recently, Gloria? They were Sylvan entities way back, and our location at the time she was attacked would be a perfect place for them to take up residence. But surely, it'd be coincidence that they were there."

Gloria's eyes widened into dark orbs. "_Lemurė?_ Klaus—are you certain?"

"No," he said simply, with just a hint of annoyance. "Which is why I'm asking you. Have you heard anything of a group, or even one of them surfacing? Any sightings?"

Gloria clamped her gaping mouth, pensive. "The _Lemurė_ are old—Ancient Rome, from the BC's, old. I thought they'd been cast into Hell centuries back. If they _have_ resurfaced—oh my." She held a hand to her mouth, regarding AJ with alarm.

"'Oh my' what?" AJ asked, looking back and forth between the two. "What's going on and what's a… _Lemurė_?" She butchered the pronunciation. "Don't tell me, it's an ancient clan of rabid lemurs—"

"AJ," Klaus snapped, "You must take this seriously."

"Then why didn't you mention this to me sooner?" she said abrasively, all joking diminished. "Like, oh I don't know, after I nearly died? You definitely could have mentioned it then. Of course, you may not have _trusted_ me then."

A muscle flexed in Klaus's jaw as he tried to keep a hold on his shifting emotions. "I did not tell you because you do not understand what this means. And I had no reason to frighten you without knowing for certain. As for what they are, they are restless, troubled spirits seeking out a powerful supernatural body to possess. Witches don't work—they ward them off too easily. But something different, something created a long time ago such as the Warrior—that has enough power to sustain their souls."

"You said there was a mark," Gloria spoke up quickly, "Where is this mark? I have to have a look at it."

AJ's head spun with thousands of thoughts, most of them baffled and perplexed. Klaus's explanation didn't really do much to clear up her confusion. She frowned as she took in Gloria's concerned expression. Then she nudged Klaus to let her out of the booth. After he did, she stood by Gloria, raising her shirt only a little bit to expose the still harsh, reddened circle just barely beneath her ribcage. A blush surfaced on AJ's face; she was aware of Klaus's eyes on her bare skin. It sent strange shivers down her spine.

"May I?" Gloria asked as she held out a hand to the mark. AJ nodded, and Gloria touched a single finger to the area. Not a moment later, she shrieked, jerking her hand away from AJ. AJ's shirt immediately fell back in place as she gaped at Gloria.

"What happened—are you hurt?"

Gloria shook her head, her eyes closed. "No, no, I'm not hurt. But the energy—_your_ energy, mixed with whatever else has done this too you—it's powerful. Too powerful. It's like you've been touched by one. Are you certain you saw nothing when she was being strangled?"

Klaus rolled her eyes. "As certain as anyone can be. I can't see the dead."

A sudden, frightful realization came over AJ. Her eyes were transfixed on the table, the simple thought of it being a possibility sending her into shock.

"She's remembered something important," Gloria said quietly to Klaus, as they both looked warily at AJ. "I can feel it."

AJ shook her head slowly, burying her face in her hands. "You said Sylvan entities," she said through stiff lips, not looking up, "As in those that belong in forests, right?" A solid sense of dread weighed down her shoulders and tightened her throat as she waited for an answer.

"Yes," Klaus said slowly, "They are most commonly found in wooded areas. It's where they get enough life-force from nature to be able to sustain their non-corporeal state and remain in this world. Why?" He watched as she dug her fingernails into her arm, leaving angry, raw marks behind as she continued. Quickly, his hands flew out and grasped hers, preventing her from causing any more harm. "AJ, why? What do you know?"

"I know," she said slowly, not giving his hands over hers a second thought, "How completely and utterly stupid I am. Throughout the summer, I've seen just the faintest glimpse of them. I always thought I was hallucinating—I admit I really don't sleep well anymore. Anyway, back in Tennessee, I remember seeing something out in the forest. And…" she trailed off, suddenly acutely aware of his hands, how warm and rough they were, yet gentle and soft at the same time; her eyes rose to find his, before quickly diverting them back to the table again. He released her hands, and she placed them on the sides of her arms defensively, shifting on her feet.

"And what?"

She shook her head, groaning in frustration. "I should have told you, and I apologize, Klaus. I was so stupid to think—to believe it was actually a possibility—God," she said, exasperated, "How could I have even thought it was possible?"

"AJ," Klaus said, losing his patience, "What are you talking about?"

"_Elijah," _she said finally, and anguish surfaced in her voice. "I'm talking about Elijah."

Gloria blinked at AJ. "How could you possibly know Elijah?"

Rolling her eyes, AJ said, "Because I'm in love with him. Like I said before, it's all a very long, complicated story." The look on Gloria's face said that she finally understood it had to be a _very _complicated story.

Klaus huffed, his impatience reaching its peak. "Why are you speaking of Elijah? Have you contacted him?" At the mere thought of her reuniting with his brother, his teeth ground together.

"No. I haven't spoken to him since we left Mystic Falls. But when I went out to walk in the forest—I lied to you. I wasn't leaving because of what happened with Ray. I'd thought I saw Elijah…" she trailed off as she took in his expression. It was a scary sort of calmness, like he was trying very hard to conceal his more violent emotions, and it was not something she liked to see on his face. It was unnerving.

"But really," he said crisply, "It was a _Lemur__ė_. I can only think it was that sort of creature. You should have told me this."

AJ shook her head back and forth, placing her hands on either side of it in frustration. "I know that _now_. I'm sorry, it's just I—"she stopped, breathing in and out sharply, and pinched her eyes shut.

"You wanted to see Elijah," Klaus said in a low voice, one with hardly any emotion to it.

AJ rubbed at her eyes wearily, but finally looked at him. Something in his eyes, through the guarded, fake lack of emotion, she could detect something deeper. Something sadder. "Yes," she said, strained, "I wanted to see Elijah. I'd seen the thing moving as fast as you can, way out in the woods, and I assumed it was him."

Both Klaus and Gloria tensed visibly. They exchanged looks, making nervous twists flutter through AJ's stomach. "You say they were as fast as a vampire," Gloria said slowly, returning her gaze to AJ. "Are you certain of this?"

A crease formed between her eyebrows. "Yes, I'm positive. It's the only reason why I thought it was Elijah."

Gloria began shaking her head, mumbling something to herself. Klaus's mouth was set in a hard line, his jaw clenched. He seemed the most unsettled that AJ had ever seen him before.

"Guys," she said, looking between them warily, "What is it? I'm really not in the mood for the whole cliché horror movie, 'Dun dun _dun_' suspense type thing at the moment, so you can just, you know, say it. Like, right now." Gloria was still murmuring something to herself, and Klaus seemed to be growing angry, though he looked deep in thought as well. AJ huffed, exasperated. "Guys!"

Gloria's eyes flicked back up to AJ, but what AJ saw instead of the peeved-with-Klaus wise witch was something completely opposite. Gloria appeared to be horrified, fascinated, and appalled all at once. It made AJ all the more uneasy, and she became fidgety on her feet.

"The _Lemur__ė,_" Gloria began, her voice a cold, rough whisper, "do not have the speed equivalent to that of a vampire. Not even remotely close. Though they are non-corporeal, and most definitely can materialize on will quite quickly, they do not have speed."

AJ pressed her lips together, and the crease between her eyebrows formed into a complete line. "I don't understand," she said, "You mean that I didn't see a _Lemurė_? Well, then what _did_ I see?"

Gloria's features grew very grim, and Klaus was stiff. "In connection to the _Lemurė,_" Klaus said, his voice tight, "Are what you might call occultists. Extreme occultists. They worship them_, _believing that their tortured souls deserve retribution for what happened to them during their lives as humans. The occultists, being corporeal, could very easily attempt to… alter themselves to have the strength and speed to capture something powerful enough to sustain the souls. You didn't see a _Lemurė, _love_. _You saw a rabid occultist, who I'm assuming, is quite bent on achieving retribution for these souls."

AJ blinked at him. Her mouth had pulled down slowly into a frown as what he said sunk in. "You're joking, right? An _occult_? As in a black-clad-robe-wearing occult? You're saying that an occult—one that's _altered_ themselves, as in they're _vampires_—are trying to take me for some ancient _Lemurė_ revenge stuff?"

Klaus paused for a moment, and then nodded briskly. "Unfortunately, that is exactly what I'm saying. It's no joke. But they couldn't possibly get to you," he said, shrugging, "I am an _Original_, AJ. A hybrid. They will not touch you so long as I'm around."

AJ stared at him, and her vision blurred for a moment. Was that supposed to be comforting? It was, in a way, but it was also extremely _disturbing_. She shook her head slowly. "It totally figures," she said to no one in particular, "that after all the things I've already been through, I'd draw some kind of freaky vampire-things and ghosts after me. It just totally figures."

Klaus pressed his lips into a hard line, looking up at her. He undid the amulet necklace from where he'd wound it around his finger, holding it out to her. She looked at it for a moment before accepting it, and when she pulled it over her head, she chanced a look back at Klaus. He met her eyes, piercingly rapt. She couldn't tell exactly what that meant. All she knew was that life couldn't possibly get any freakier than it already was.

A brief image flashed up in her mind's eye, cutting and sharp with perfect clarity. There was the fleeting thing in the woods, dressed in dark colors, the way she would expect Elijah's suit to be. But as she looked closer, as she truly looked at the thing, instead of what she'd _wanted _it to be, she saw the stark difference. The creature moved differently. It was definitely less graceful than a vampire, and bleakly stiff, hardened, like a soldier. Another image dredged up in her head. Klaus's vampire, Jenkins. The one who'd escorted her from the sacrifice back to Alaric's apartment, dislocating her shoulder and inflicted a number of different injuries on her on the way. He'd moved exactly like that. And he'd said he wanted to have his time to play with her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Happy Halloween, everyone! Okay, so I know some of this was a little different, but it'll make tons of sense later on. (By the way, soon, I think I'll start posting some scenes on my page from this that wouldn't exactly be included in this, but would definitely be tied to it. Thoughts?) But what'd you think of the chapter? And how do you like the story so far? Do I have any huge Elijah fans, or just Klaus? Let me know! (And have an awesome night.) (-:**


	6. Chicago Blues

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

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><p><strong>Six<strong>

Klaus looked over at AJ, who was now lounging on top of a table across from him and Gloria, staring sullenly ahead. His eyebrows were pulled together, and he was trying to connect the single word she'd just said to everything else. Jenkins.

"The vampire who hurt you," Klaus said slowly, "That is who you're talking about, yes?"

AJ straightened up and rolled her eyes. "No," she mocked, "I'm talking about my chauffeur. It's a common name for chauffeurs, you know, because—"

"AJ," Klaus gave her a level look, "I am trying to understand. You believe that he had some part in this _Lemurė_ lot? Why?"

"Because," she stressed the word, "He moved the way they did. And he kept saying things to me—that _you_ said he could have his way with me or play with me or whatever. _Did_ you say that?" She raised an eyebrow, preparing a death-glare.

Klaus beat her to it. "No, I did not. You know I wouldn't allow such a thing to happen. But how do you think this ties him into the occult?"

She groaned, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Like I just said! He moved like them! And he wanted to 'have his way with me'! Does that not scream 'evil occultist-turned-vampire' to you, or what? If it doesn't, I'm seriously going to start worrying about your intelligence."

Klaus's mouth hardened into a thin line. "I was simply confirming it. But do you really think that I would associate myself with such a creature? Besides, Jenkins had existed for several centuries even before I found him. How could it possibly even be a coincidence that I'd come across him? Come to trust him?"

"Well, where did you say the _Lemurė_ go back to, Gloria? Rome? Maybe Jenkins came from there, or whoever turned him came from there or whatever. Who knows? I only know that—"AJ stopped the moment she saw some kind of flame flare up behind Klaus's eyes. "What is it?" she asked cautiously.

Klaus clenched his teeth together. "I've overlooked the fact that he was, indeed, from Rome. But to deceive _me_—"he stopped, closing his eyes as he breathed in and out angrily. AJ frowned. She hopped off the table and went to stand in front of Klaus. It was almost like she was disconnected from her body: she watched as her hand went out and rested on the side of his face momentarily, having a strange similitude to a caress, getting him to open his eyes. A spark went through their skin, something wild and arcane. She quickly pulled her hand back, but stood still in front of him, holding his gaze.

"Klaus," she said quietly, both Gloria and Stefan forgotten, "Remember, you can trust _me_. It doesn't matter what he did. Just trust me, okay?"

His jaw was still tight, but the look in his eyes softened slightly. "Except that is does matter what he did. Do you realize that he could have taken you? That he actually _did_ taste your blood?"

"What does my blood have to do with anything?" She looked down at him, baffled.

His eyes flicked to Gloria before reluctantly returning to her. "Your blood is the very life-force that would allow the souls to be sustained corporally, without having to be completely connected to nature. That's what they need—life-force. I'm now certain that that's why they harmed you—to test that you had the blood of a Warrior. Once we'd left, it would have been very easy to have access to your blood. It only makes sense."

AJ cringed outwardly. The feeling of the attack came back to her against her own volition. A caustic, burning feeling blossomed in the middle of her torso, white-hot like someone was holding a burning metal to it. Hands wrapped around her neck pressed harder and harder, cutting off her oxygen, strangling her. Blood boiled hot in her throat, spurting out her mouth in uncontrollable coughing spasms. She'd coughed it up onto the detritus that was the forest floor; the crimson red color of it was a bleak contrast against the green of the leaves. An image flashed in her head. It was of some figure clad in all black—the only sort of thing she associated with occults—bent over the forgotten blood, lifting a finger with the rich red crimson on it to its mouth to test it. She felt terribly sick to her stomach. That was wrong in so many ways.

"So," she said quietly, pushing those ugly thoughts away. "Do you think they know, then? That I'm the Warrior?"

Gloria looked very grim. "You should assume that they do. But there _are_ ways to protect yourself," she began, looking significantly at Klaus again. "I don't see why you don't just—"

Klaus had opened his mouth to speak, but AJ cut both of them off, raising a conclusive hand in the air. "Stop," she said wearily, "Just stop. I don't want to hear any more about this stuff—it's messed up. Can we just talk about it later?"

Klaus looked at her silently for a minute, clearly debating. Then he nodded briskly. "Of course. But there is truly nothing to worry about—Jenkins has been dead, and they can't get to you now."

AJ didn't say anything in reply. Hopping back on the table once more, she shut her eyes, blocking out the world. She focused on her breathing and remaining calm. If only Elijah had been there. Upon thinking that, she found herself frowning. Would Elijah have even told her about the _Lemurė _or would he have kept it a secret, like the family he took her from? Where was he now? Was he thinking of her? Her shoulders drooped. She had no answers. Not yet.

Klaus's eyes roamed over AJ's features with a tinge of concern. It was obvious something was wrong, but she'd already made it known that she didn't want to talk right now. He turned back to Gloria, settling his hands on the table. There was a tiny scowl on her face, and she rolled her eyes.

"So what am I doing wrong? With the hybrids, I mean." His gaze flicked over to AJ once more, but she wasn't paying attention. Frustrated with himself, he forced his attention to remain on the witch in front of him.

"Well obviously you're doing something wrong," Gloria said pointedly, with just a tinge of mockery.

Klaus breathed out impatiently, growing annoyed in an instant. Gloria set aside her reluctance to help the hybrid in an effort to think about his question. "Look, every spell has a loophole, but a curse that old… we'd have to contact the witch who created it."

"Well that would be the Original witch," Klaus said, attempting to keep a hold on his temper. "She's very dead."

"I know. And for me to contact her, I'll need help. Bring me Rebekah."

Klaus's annoyance was reaching a peak. "Rebekah," he said, neither angrily nor very happily, "Rebekah is a bit… preoccupied."

Gloria was unfazed, even as his barely maintained temper nearly emanated off of him. "She has what I need. Bring her to me."

Klaus was about to voice another objection, but Stefan caught his attention.

"What is this?" Stefan asked from behind the bar, puzzled. There was a photograph in his hand, and a crease formed between his eyebrows.

"Well I told you, Stefan," Klaus said as he stood up, "Chicago is a magical place."

Upon registering the odd tone in Klaus's voice, AJ opened her eyes. She glanced over at Stefan, who seemed to be growing more confused.

"But this is me," he said, looking down at the photograph strangely. Then he looked back up at Klaus, his gaze hardening. "With you."

AJ's eyes widened immediately, and she gaped at Stefan. In an instant, she'd hopped off the table and made her way down to him, intensely curious to see the picture. Stefan was tense, but he shifted it for her to see.

It was a black and white square photo, the kind that reminded her of the ones that, after taking a picture with an old, bulky camera, would slid right out and process immediately. She peered down at it, and her eyebrows shot up as she took in the two men in it. It was clearly Stefan and Klaus, and Stefan had slung an arm over Klaus's shoulders, the way brothers interacted. They both had devious grins on their faces and were wearing dark tuxedos. Just as strange, they were sitting at the very bar that stood before her in that moment. She almost didn't believe it. Turning to Klaus, she gave him a questioning look.

Klaus was smirking. Without another word to Stefan, he turned back to Gloria. "I'll bring you Rebekah," he said shortly, "But you'd better figure it out." Then he turned and headed out the door. Stefan was fast to trail after Klaus. AJ remained still for a moment before setting the picture back on the bar. She exchanged looks with Gloria, who seemed oddly relieved, and headed out after the vampires.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, both Klaus and Stefan were nearly out of sight when AJ stepped outside. They were clearly headed back to the warehouse Klaus was keeping everything in, and so she quickened her pace to a brisk walk to try and catch up with them. When she was shoving through the single door leading into the sizeable warehouse, she heard Stefan speaking.<p>

"This doesn't make any sense—why don't I remember you?" He was still trailing behind Klaus, who was walking purposefully towards the coffins that held his family within. AJ shivered for a moment, but quickly followed.

"You said it yourself," Klaus said, now a little uninterested as his eyes roamed over the coffins, "that time had a lot of dark holes."

Stefan was agitated. "But if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?"

"I'm a little busy right now," he said, picking up his pace. "Memory lane will have to wait."

Stefan had reached out so quickly, AJ could barely follow the movement. He grabbed a hold of Klaus's arm, spinning Klaus around to face him. "What the _hell_ is going on?" he asked through clenched teeth. "Answer me."

Klaus had that dark gleam in his eyes—the one AJ knew nothing good could come from. He removed Stefan's hand, but met his gaze raptly. "Let's just say that we didn't get off to a brilliant start."

AJ snorted suddenly, grimly amused. "Big shocker there," she muttered, and then clamped her mouth shut. Pissing off two vampires who were already royally pissed probably wasn't a good idea.

"To be honest," Klaus continued, ignoring AJ's comment, "I _hated_ you."

AJ listened from a distance as Klaus recounted the nineteen-twenties. She supposed she wasn't too surprised to find out that Stefan had been a haughty ripper back then, although it seemed that he and Damon had much more in common than she originally realized. If two brothers like Stefan and Damon could somehow be so similar, and yet become twisted up polar opposites at some point, it could be the same for two brothers like Elijah and Klaus, couldn't it? But as far as she knew, Elijah had never truly been a ripper vampire—he'd actually loved before. He'd loved Katherine. Klaus had always been the way he was, it seemed. Except that now, with the way things had twisted up, it was almost like Klaus was better. He didn't lie to her—he'd been the one to tell her about what Elijah did. But she still didn't know why Elijah even did it in the first place. The conflicting thoughts and theories racing through her mind started giving her a headache. Did she really consider _Klaus_ to be the better brother? She blinked, returning her focus to Klaus once more as he revealed the vampire Rebekah as his _sister_. Her eyes widened. Another Original?

"Your sister," Stefan said, sounding none too happy about it. "So I knew another Original vampire."

Klaus only smiled, but it was that devious smile that only seemed to suit him. His gaze flicked to AJ, deep and unreadable, before he turned on his heel and headed towards the coffins once more, only this time he wasn't impeded. Then he said, "If you can't handle it, then don't ask."

Stefan slowly followed Klaus, and AJ was right behind him. The coffins were all set up in a semi-circle. A forlorn, empty feeling emanated off them, filling the room with a sense of dread and death. AJ could never stand to see these things—to imagine that Elijah might one day be in one of them, because of her. Intent, she watched as Klaus approached the one at the end. Goosebumps rose on her skin, but she wasn't sure why. Her feet took her closer to Klaus as his hands found two long, steel bars. He lifted them up, exposing a grey corpse within.

Standing close to Klaus, AJ could feel the heat from his body warm her. But as soon as the coffin had opened, a coldness numbed her body. The corpse was a woman—Rebekah, she had to presume. One of the special daggers—the only kind that could kill an Original vampire—was protruding grotesquely from her chest. But even in this death state, AJ could see how beautiful Rebekah was. She was still in a dress from the nineteen-twenties, with her fair hair curled elegantly. A frown appeared on AJ's lips.

Klaus was looking down at his sister fondly, seemingly oblivious to AJ's presence. He carefully reached out and stroked the side of Rebekah's ashen face. Her skin looked papery to the touch, but he didn't appear bothered.

Stefan looked over AJ's shoulder, his eyes peering down at the strange Original. "I don't recognize her," he said, his voice coming out as a whisper.

"Don't tell her that," Klaus said as his fingers wrapped around the dagger. "Rebekah's temper's worse than mine." He yanked the dagger out, suddenly, making AJ flinch. "Time to wake up, little sister."

AJ bit her lip, growing more anxious. She looked from Klaus to his sister. The grey, ashen color of her face prevailed, even as several silent minutes passed by. Stefan began pacing, probably feeling the same anxiety that AJ was. Except, she thought grimly, that this was basically his girlfriend from nearly ninety years ago. That had to be worse. A lot worse.

Klaus was much more patient and relaxed. "Anybody home, Rebekah?" he asked loudly. Then he smirked, and said in a whisper, "She's being dramatic."

AJ looked at him incredulously, and Stefan had become either consumed by impatience or anxiousness. "Look, why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on," he said, crossing his arms as he regarded Klaus. "I mean, you obviously want me here for a reason, right?"

"Well you have many useful talents," Klaus said. Then he spun around to face Stefan, as if he'd just remembered something. "In fact, I learned some of my favorite tricks from you."

As Klaus began recounting another part of that strange night long ago, AJ wondered if it was more annoying that he kept telling stories of the past, or that this Rebekah woman wouldn't wake up. Her nerves were bursting and popping like fireworks, and she wasn't certain how much more she could handle.

As she listened to the story, she'd had to pinch her eyes shut when Klaus described the way Stefan forced a man to drink his own wife's blood—a _human_ man. As much as she wished she couldn't imagine what drinking blood was like, she could. It wasn't that the memories were tainted—the ones of Elijah offering his blood, because he'd been the only one at the time that could truly help her, or when Klaus had kissed her, but bit his own lip so that she wouldn't have to walk back to Elijah with a bruised face. Even back in the Smoky Mountains, when she'd have died if Klaus hadn't offered her his blood—that wasn't so terrible to think about. But now she wondered what it made her like. Who was she to drink a _vampire's_ blood? Was that really any different than what they did? Of course, she didn't kill them. But still, what did that make her? A voice in the back of her head answered, and she shivered all over. It wasn't a long-forgotten voice, though she wished she could forget it entirely. It was the darker part of her. The part that seemed to be merged with the other side, but now she had her doubts.

Klaus finished the story sickly, making AJ cringe. She couldn't even imagine Stefan being that way, and she'd seen him rip people apart with his own two hands.

"_That_," Klaus said, "was my old friend." He looked back down at Rebekah with a frown. "She's not going to be waking up anytime soon." He turned on his heel to head down another part of the warehouse that led outside. AJ and Stefan exchanged glances before following him.

"Why should I believe any of this?" Stefan asked, and he sounded like he thought it was just some elaborate story. Klaus had stopped, and was facing a man wearing a guard uniform. AJ didn't think she'd noticed him before. He stood with his back to where they'd just come from, his hands clasped down in front of him. Although he was young and hardly much built, AJ knew that people could be surprising. Maybe he could hold his own in a fight, just not one against vampires, of course.

Klaus captured his gaze. "When she wakes up," he said, pointing back towards the coffins, "tell her to meet us up at Gloria's bar, then volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die." The guard nodded, successfully compelled.

AJ's eyes widened. Klaus began walking away again, but she called after him. "Klaus, are you serious? He's barely in his twenties, I bet."

Klaus stopped, regarding her frankly. "So are you saying that I should find someone, say, older? Someone who's lived longer?"

"Well—no, but—"

"Darling," he said firmly yet gently. "You must understand that it's the way it has to be. She's been dead for ninety years—she'll need all of his blood, and probably another person's as well. It's the way it has to be."

She held her head defiantly. "If you're so quick to just say it's the way it has to be, then why not give her _my_ blood? What would you say to that?"

He obviously wasn't happy with her now. "I'd say don't be ridiculously stupid. Come, now." He turned and started walking again. Stefan's gaze landed on AJ for a moment before he started after Klaus once more. AJ ground her teeth together—it felt like she'd take two steps forward and one step back with Klaus, every day. She folded her arms over her chest and looked between the guard and a receding Klaus, then heaved a heavy sigh. This wasn't fair. Swiveling around, she started to head back towards Rebekah. Immediately, she walked right into Klaus.

Stumbling back, she looked up at his angry features, her own holding similitude to his. "AJ," he said, careful to stay patient. "I know that you heard me. So why, pray tell, are you headed back to my sister?"

AJ recrossed her arms. "Because I'm sick of vampires just volunteering any random person for _donation_ without even taking into account the lives they're taking away. Does that sound like a good enough reason for you?"

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. "Quite frankly, love, Rebekah is my baby sister, but that doesn't make her my favorite sibling. She's really not very worthy of your blood."

AJ stared at him incredulously for a moment. "Are you serious? _That's_ your refute?" She held a hand to her head, shaking it slowly. "Oh my God. I'm surrounded by insane vampires."

"AJ, look at me," he said in a tone that caught her attention. She pulled her hand away from her head and looked up at him, meeting his blue gaze. "Will you just trust me? You may be shocked to find that yes, I did think for a brief moment that Rebekah doesn't deserve such a pleasantry, or to kill such a young human, but in reality it must happen. So may we leave now?"

Scowling, AJ said, "That was a sucky apology, and you know it. But… I suppose I see why you're doing this. I just don't like it. Not one bit."

"I know you don't," he said earnestly, putting a hand on either side of her arms. "You said you weren't going to try to change me. Do you take that back?"

His hands were warm, as he always seemed to be. Her gaze dropped to the floor and she bit her lip. "I meant it when I said it, and I still mean it. I just wish…"she trailed off, sighing.

"You wish I was more like Elijah, I'm willing to bet." He kept any amount of emotion out of his voice, simply staring down at her.

"No," she said, surprising herself. She looked up at him, searching his eyes. "No, actually, I don't. We can go now, I guess." Swallowing hard, she backed away so that he was no longer touching her, and gestured for him to continue. He stood silently for a moment before passing by her, quickening his pace yet again. He wanted to make good time, tonight.

Stefan had been observing from afar. When AJ's eyes met his, he raised an eyebrow. She pressed her lips together and followed Klaus, averting her gaze. Stefan's shoulders became taut once more as he, too, started after them. "Where are you going?" he asked Klaus, curious.

"You think I'm lying, Stefan, that you and I knew each other," he said, not slowing his pace for a second. "You trusted me with one of your secrets, and now I'm going to prove it to you."

Stefan was unconvinced. "How?"

"We're going to your old apartment." Klaus smirked, then, hearing the vampire come to a stop far behind him.

AJ glanced up at Klaus from where she was trailing behind Klaus. She thought that Rebekah wasn't the only one who was a little dramatic.

* * *

><p>It was dark out when they arrived at a small apartment complex, which much to AJ's surprise, was still standing. It wasn't that it was in such a terrible condition or anything, than it was just very old. Klaus wasted no time heading straight to Stefan's apartment. She wondered for a moment as they headed up the stairs if someone would be living there, now. It was Chicago—the city had to be filled with people, and maybe not enough space for them to live. She wasn't super up to date with the realty around here.<p>

"Welcome home, Stefan," Klaus said as he came to a narrow hallway on the third floor. He headed straight to a dark wooded door, but stopped immediately. She peered around him to see what made him tense. Her eyes widened. The doorknob was busted off.

Without another moment's hesitation, he pushed the door open. It creaked as it opened the entire way, revealing a dark and seemingly empty apartment. The dirty window on the far left side indicated that either no one was living here, or they weren't exactly neat-freaks. Beside the window was a bed, and around the room were a number of things that could be found in any apartment, really. Everything in here just looked so much older. Klaus stepped in, his heavy shoes clanking on the worn out wooden floor. He held a hand up. "Do you feel that?" His face became very grim, and he turned to an uneasy Stefan. "Is anybody here?"

Stefan stepped in slowly and quietly, and the floor creaked under him. He looked around with a distant sort of interest. "It's been vacant for decades. People must break in all the time."

AJ wasn't certain, but it seemed like something was just a little off with him. She entered the old apartment cautiously.

"Why'd you bring me here?" Stefan asked, and there was an underlying demand in his voice.

Klaus was glancing around the room with familiarity. "Your friend, Liam Grant—the one who drank his wife's blood—I never could figure out why you wanted his name. And then you told me your little secret." A dark gleam appeared in his eyes, natural to him. Even in the lack of lighting, AJ could recognize it. She shivered at the reminder of the man who drank blood. "It was all part of your special little ritual."

Stefan ran a hand over a dusty, leather bound journal. AJ was now certain that something was off, but Klaus didn't seem to notice, somehow. Maybe the Stefan he knew back in the twenties and this Stefan were too entirely different for him to detect any discrepancies.

Pausing for a moment, Stefan's eyebrows pulled together. "To write it down," he whispered to himself.

"And relive the kill," Klaus said darkly. "Over and over again." He smiled deviously, and then turned around, roughing placing a hand on the end of a shelf built into the wall. AJ was surprised when he was able to pull it back. Stefan had a hidden room. "Do you believe me now?"

Stefan stared into the room, completely perplexed. He walked towards it, shoulders taut and his steps wary. AJ watched him for a moment, before turning her attention to Klaus. He'd walked back to the leather bound journal, examining it. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she approached him. It was cold in the room, and it obviously hadn't been heated in a very long time. Her hand absently found the sun necklace of Klaus's resting at the base of her throat. She ran a finger over it pensively. Klaus glanced up at her, his eyes flicking from the necklace to her.

"You seem to rather fancy that necklace," he said pointedly, and she didn't miss the smugness in his tone. She didn't like what being in this place did to him—it made him seem more like the old Klaus. But she said nothing of it. Instead, she shrugged.

"The magic in it," she said, although earlier she'd swore she'd never admit it to him. "I think it's… calming. Is that why you held onto it for so long?"

Klaus looked at her strangely, but there was still haughtiness in his demeanor. "It never really brought me any peace. Perhaps it isn't the magic of the necklace that's calming, but the... giver."

AJ froze, and her heart started beating hard against her chest. She averted her gaze, choosing to look at the strange wallpaper in the room. "Think what you want," she said detachedly.

"Yes," he said, unfazed, "And deny what you want."

Her gaze flicked back to him, and she saw some kind of intensity in it. It sent crazy shivers down her spine. She pressed her lips together.

"Are you still angry about the boy at the warehouse?" From his tone, she could tell he was being serious.

"I'm not angry," she said quietly, running her fingers over dusty old books. "I'm just tired, Klaus. You have to admit it's been a long day."

He paused. "Have you been thinking about the _Lemurė_? I assure you, there's nothing to worry about."

"Isn't there, though? Because it seems like when one terrible thing ends, another begins. There's just so much going on right now, I don't know _what_ to worry about. I mean, I can't even stop thinking about my parents." AJ stared sullenly at the floor, biting her lip. Klaus slowly crossed the room to her, the haughtiness gone completely.

"Specifically which parents?" he asked carefully, standing only a foot away from her.

She sighed, closing her eyes. "The one's I don't know. Is it so terrible of me to feel completely alienated from the people who raised me? I mean, shouldn't I still feel like they're my family? I still think of Ben as my brother. But Robert and Laura, _those_ parents… it just doesn't seem right. It never really seemed quite right." Suddenly, she flushed. She'd never once said that to anyone, not even Elijah. Was it silly of her to think that Klaus would even care? "You know, it doesn't even matter. Not really, I guess."

"Of course it does," he said in a low voice. "You've only just found out that they aren't your true parents, and that you have others somewhere else."

Her eyes lifted to his, a crease between her eyebrows. "Why are you being so… understanding?"

Something came up in his eyes, guarding them, distancing her from him, though not physically. He looked away. "You aren't the only one that's found out that a parent wasn't exactly their blood relation."

AJ sucked in a quiet gasp. She felt like hitting herself on the forehead for being so stupid. "I'm sorry Klaus—it completely slipped my mind. Your father—"

"My father," he said, keeping a hold on his temper, "is not exactly a subject I'm fond of. Anyway, I'm certain Gloria has a computer we can use when we go back, later. You can try looking up your parents if you like."

Her eyes still held the sympathy she felt for him, but they widened slightly. "I don't know if that's such a great idea. They probably think I'm dead by now, and I wouldn't want to cause them any more pain."

Klaus shrugged. "Perhaps not pain, but something else. Anyway, it is what you choose. The option will remain there."

AJ cocked her head slightly. This was the Klaus she liked, that she could relate to. Where did he go when he wasn't this way? She opened her mouth to say something, but Stefan spoke up first.

"Look what I found," he said from the hidden room. AJ and Klaus turned at the same time, and she could see him gazing into the far corner. She was still getting a strange vibe from him. Klaus's once gentle look darkened substantially. Did he find a person who'd broken in, like Klaus had suspected?

Then he turned and pulled out a bottle of wine, holding it up for Klaus and AJ to see. "Nineteen-eighteen. Silver Moon."

Klaus smiled. "My favorite." He took it from Stefan's hands, heading towards the door. "Let's go and find someone to pair it with."

"Klaus," AJ said reprovingly.

He smiled innocently at her. "Although I'm certain you would taste just wonderful with it, I was joking. Lighten up, darling."

She narrowed her eyes. "Right. It wasn't me you were talking about," she muttered. As he headed out the door, she turned back to Stefan. There was a strange expression on his face as he returned the shelf to its position in the wall, hiding the hidden room once more. He walked past her, shrugging when she gave him a questioning look. Glancing back at the hidden room once more, she decided it was nothing. She joined the vampires as they closed the door to the apartment and began the walk back to Gloria's.

It wasn't long before they arrived. On the way, AJ had been awed by the nightlife that was Chicago. Big cities weren't the norm for her, and the glittering lights of the city were truly magnificent to take in.

As they stepped back into Gloria's once more, they found the place full of people. Klaus and Stefan had immediately taken the wine up to the bar, and although Klaus had offered her a few drinks, she politely declined. Taking her time getting to the bar, she glanced around at all the people. It must be nice to just be normal and not have to worry about anything supernatural, like freaky vampire-slash-occult members seeking you out to have ancient troubled spirits possess your body, or to be entirely human, or really, just to be able to know who your parents are. Yes, she thought as she looked around, it would be really nice.

Approaching the bar, she arrived just when Gloria was presenting them with two beers. AJ made a face as she took a seat on the other side of Klaus. How could they drink that stuff?

"Where's Rebekah?" Gloria asked, none too happy.

"She'll be here," Klaus said, picking up the bottle lazily. "I can't just conjure her on demand." He took a swig of his beer and looked over at Stefan, who also wasn't looking very cheery at the moment. "What's with you? I thought Chicago was your playground."

"So this is why you asked me to be your wingman," Stefan said, standing. "Because you liked the way I tortured innocent people."

Aware of AJ's presence, he said carefully, "Well that's certainly half of it."

"What's the other half?" Stefan watched as Klaus grabbed the bottle from his apartment and poured it into two glasses.

"The other half, Stefan, is that you used to want to be my wingman." He smirked.

AJ groaned. She could tell there was about to be another walk down memory lane in about three seconds. Grabbing the other glass before Klaus slid it over to Stefan, she downed the whole thing. Klaus raised an eyebrow. "You might want to go easy on the alcohol, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes and held her glass out for him to fill up once more. He complied, and then started his story. Apparently he and Stefan had sat at this very place ninety years ago, discussing Klaus's hybrid state. She was surprised to find out that he once regarded himself as an 'abomination.' Maybe Klaus hadn't always been this way, this dark and smug? But didn't his history and whatever had happened to his family say otherwise?

AJ was relieved to find out that this story was significantly shorter than the others. She watched as Klaus held his glass up to Stefan, saying, "To friendship." Stefan stared down at Klaus for a moment, uncertain, before raising his own glass. They both downed their drinks, and AJ followed suit. A warm feeling was already settling over her, so she pushed the glass away. She knew her limits, and it probably wasn't wise to get drunk with Klaus around. Who knew what she'd say, or do even? Although she knew that vampires couldn't really get drunk, or at least not totally, she did think that by the time Stefan and Klaus had gotten through the entire bottle, it was a little excessive.

"So I'm confused," Stefan was saying, and he appeared to be a little tipsy as he waved his drink around. Maybe he was just being dramatic. Vampires. "If we were such great friends, then why do I only know you as the hybrid _dick_ who sacrificed my girlfriend on an altar?"

"All good things must come to an end," Klaus said simply, but AJ could recognize the tone in his voice by now.

"No," she groaned, pouting. "Not another story. I am _begging_ you."

"Oh hush," he said, "This is the last one, I promise."

"Fine," she huffed. She eyed the glass she'd placed off to the side a while ago, and considered getting another drink, but thought better of it. Drinking wasn't something she usually took part in, although she could remember a while back, maybe freshman year, when she and Elena had started a drinking game with a bottle they'd found in her parent's liquor cabinet. The memory was more than a little spotty.

Quickly, she tuned back into whatever Klaus was saying. She became more attentive when she realized that it was about why Stefan couldn't remember him or Rebekah—Klaus had compelled him to forget. But why? If they'd really been such good friends, why would he do that?

"You compelled me to forget," Stefan said, and he seemed like he finally believed everything Klaus had told him.

Klaus was staring down at his empty glass, his lips pulled into a frown. "It was time for Rebekah and I to move on. Better to have a clean slate."

"But why?" Stefan leaned in closer to Klaus, obviously suspicious about something. "You shouldn't have to cover your tracks." As his eyes narrowed, AJ could see that he'd put the pieces together. It clicked into place for her, too, and her eyes widened. "Unless you're running from someone," Stefan said, speaking the exact words AJ was thinking.

Klaus set his jaw firmly, his eyes hard. "Story times over."

Stefan looked tempted to say something else, but he didn't. Then he looked off towards the bar entrance, and something about his eyes made AJ turn and look. As much of a pro she used to be at keeping her emotions under check, her heart started beating like a maniac and her vision blurred. Damon. Damon was here. But in a breeze, he'd left the bar, nodding towards outside. He'd looked at both Stefan and AJ.

Stefan turned back to his nearly empty glass, and drained what was left of it. Between them, Klaus was staring sullenly down at his drink.

"I need a drink," Stefan said, setting his glass back on the bar. "A real one." Klaus said nothing. As Stefan pushed away from the bar, he gave AJ a pointed look. What she read from it was that he didn't want her to go outside. She glared at him, but then realized why it wouldn't be such a good idea in the first place. If they both left, Klaus would surely come looking. And that would mean he'd kill Damon.

The moment Stefan left, Klaus grabbed another bottle of liquor and poured himself a drink. AJ frowned. "Don't you think you've had enough for tonight?"

Klaus smirked. "Worried about me, are you?"

"You know," AJ said, her tone abrasive, "Maybe I'd actually give you an answer to that if you'd stop going from dark-Klaus to smug-Klaus to nice-Klaus within a freaking _minute_. Ever think about that?"

He frowned, looking over at her. When he opened his mouth to speak, she groaned in frustration. "You see? You're doing it again. Now you're going to play nice-Klaus."

"Would you rather I not, then?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She huffed, looking down at her empty glass. "I don't get why you can't just be that way all the time," she said quietly. It was what she'd been thinking earlier, back at Stefan's old apartment.

"I think you do get it. You just don't want to."

Stealing a sidelong glance at him, she frowned. "What exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying," He said wearily, "that no, I'm not always… nice. It's just not who I am. Besides, you've said more than once that you aren't going to try to change me. So you can't change that about me. Sorry, love."

She stared at him, long and hard, pursing her lips. "But I don't believe that. I'm not trying to change you, but I think maybe you _are_ changing. I've seen it."

Klaus smirked. "Oh? Have you? So what is it exactly that you've seen?"

"For starters," she said, completely serious, "I've seen you trust me. When was the last time you trusted someone, Klaus?" When he didn't answer, she continued. "I've seen you care about me, too. You can't deny that. You told me the truth about my parents, and Elijah."

"Yes," he said sardonically. "And that really did you some good. You're very happy and chipper, I'm sure."

AJ's eyebrows pulled together. "I'm not, admittedly. But I am happy that you told me, or else I'd still be in the dark about everything. Don't you get it, though? You were… looking out for me, when you told me that. Because you care." She flashed back to when they were standing on the ridge in the Smoky Mountains, when she first tried getting through to Klaus so that he'd trust her. Where would they be right now if it weren't for that?

A muscle flexed in Klaus's jaw, and he still kept his eyes on his drink. "Why does it matter to you if I care or not, when you so often say _you_ don't? Are you forgetting what you said earlier?"

"You mean about the necklace?" She put a hand to the sun pendant, confused. "You said that maybe magic didn't calm me, but… well, that you did. How could you not expect me to deny that?"

He shook his head slowly, a frown on his lips. "Never mind," he said impassively.

"No," she said firmly, "No 'never mind.' I want to talk about this."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her finally, but was still impassive. "Do you? That's funny. I'm not really up for it at the moment."

AJ stared at him as a silence passed over them. What was wrong? Since when wasn't he trying to convince her that she had feelings for him? Not that she was admitting anything like _that_. But still, she could tell that something wasn't quite right. She just wasn't sure if it had anything to do with her or not.

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><p><strong>So was the last chapter not well liked? I didn't get as many reviews as usual. If you don't like something, speak up! Constructive criticism is always welcome. What did you think of this chapter? Let me know. (-:<strong>


	7. The Funny Thing About Memory

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

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><p><strong>Seven<strong>

The dissonance of chatter in the bar that filled the strange silence between Klaus and AJ made her very thankful. Awkward silences weren't things she usually dealt with, not that anything about the silence was truly awkward. It was simply strange in the sense that she wasn't used to their being any silence hovering between them. It was like some kind of wall that'd manifested and barricaded him from her, shrouding any part of him that she'd come to understand and even relate to. The strange wall couldn't defy true physics, though. She could feel him beside her, since they weren't sitting very far apart. He didn't shift often, but when he did, her sympathy for him increased. Something was wrong, obviously. It just wasn't very obvious what it was. She tried shoving that thought away, tucking it back into the corners of her mind. Her hand found the sun pendant resting at the base of her throat, and she thought about what he'd said back at Stefan's old apartment. That it wasn't the magic that made her feel so at ease, but him. Could it be true? Wouldn't she have realized it herself? She looked down at the necklace, her eyebrows pulled together. It was all so enigmatic.

She had started drinking again out of sheer boredom, since she had nothing else to do. Of course, there was always time to think, and her thoughts either landed on who her biological parents were and where they might be, or the freaky-occultists who were after her _body_. When she truly admitted to herself that it really would be nice to talk to Klaus about these things, to just confide in someone about how miserable and confused she felt, she always talked herself out of it. She wasn't weak, and therefore wouldn't act like it. It oddly terrified her to wonder what Klaus would even think if she started crying, like she wanted to ever since finding out about Elijah. Would all his gentleness and understanding fade once he saw how truly awful she felt? She just prayed for a distraction. Anything, she thought, that would take her mind off of all this. Absolutely anything.

It seemed that God had been listening to her prayer because the next moment, Damon sat down. She wondered if it really was damning to wish for something, only to get exactly that. Seeing Damon's heart getting ripped from his chest was not something that'd help her. At all. Especially since the one person she was trying to get through to would be the one doing it.

Klaus took another swig of his drink, aware of Damon sitting beside him. He stared straight ahead. "I see they've opened the doors to the riff-raff now."

Damon smirked. "Oh, honey, I've been called worse," he said in the way that was simply Damon. Glancing over at AJ, his eyes flashed with concern when he saw something about the way she was holding herself was off. No longer was there the once familiar fixed rebelliousness in the angles of her face, and the daring gleam that'd been the luster in her gold flecked eyes was almost diluted, its space now pervaded by some atypical emotion. It was especially strange that she even remain in her seat, when he'd clearly directed her outside.

Klaus had picked up a little umbrella, the kind meant to go in drinks, from where Gloria kept them in a jar in front of him. He twirled it between two fingers and sighed deeply. "I'm going to warn you right now, Damon, that my patience has grown very thin. But you don't give up, do you?"

"Give me my brother _and_ AJ back," Damon suggested in a light tone, "and you'll never have to see me again."

"Well I am torn," Klaus said, sounding anything but. He hadn't yet met Damon's eyes, and that put uneasy butterflies in AJ's stomach. She knew what it meant, or at least what it would lead to. "I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die, but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly, you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here."

AJ bit her lip, looking between the two. This was the last thing that needed to happen. Of all days, why did Damon pick this one to show up? It wasn't that she wasn't thrilled to see him, but seeing his insides becoming his outsides wasn't exactly a splendid prospect.

Damon looked a little uneasy himself, but turned it right back into charm, as usual. "What can I say? I'm a thrill seeker."

"Right," Klaus nodded, and she could see the dark demeanor in his shoulders, flare up in his eyes. "I'm going to let you in on a secret, my friend. The lady, here, has had enough stress for the night, and I don't want to be the one to add to it. But if you provoke me, I might have to. Now, what do you say about that? Take the one chance I'm offering for you to leave, which is something I very rarely give, and I'm certain she'll be fine. You do care about her, don't you?"

Damon pressed his lips together, looking over at AJ. His utter loyalty was clear. "I do, and that's why I'm here. Let her and my brother come back with me, and she won't have to be dealing with all this stress anymore."

He obviously couldn't have a clue about what kind of 'stress' Klaus had meant. Of course, how could he know that rabid occultists-turned-vampires were after her, and that those people he saw before weren't actually her parents without being at least half psychic? "Damon," AJ spoke up, her voice cracking. "You should go. Go now. I don't think I'll be able to handle seeing you get hurt. Not you."

Damon blinked. "AJ, what's happened to you?"

"Tick-tock," Klaus said, growing impatient. "Leave now before I see the absurdness of my offer."

"No," Damon said, seriously now, "I'm not leaving—"

A second later, Klaus had plunged the wooden end of the umbrella into Damon's neck, making him grunt in pain. He grabbed Damon by the throat, lifting him up off the floor with complete ease. Damon struggled to say something, but it was garbled by his choking. AJ had stood up immediately, dread settling over her. She was almost certain that she wasn't the only one 'stressed' about all that'd happened that day. At least she found healthier ways to deal with it.

"Oh dear," Klaus mocked at Damon's attempt to speak. "What was that?" He yanked the umbrella out of Damon's throat, but held it to it once more. "I'm a little boozy, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries."

Damon chuckled, of course, but it only made things worse. Klaus stuck the umbrella in his ribs first, making a sickening noise as it struck flesh. Damon outwardly cringed, his face one of agony. "No," Klaus said. "That's not it." He stabbed Damon again, and Damon cried out. "Oh, almost." He sunk the umbrella deeper into Damon's flesh.

"Klaus!" AJ cried out, panicking. "Klaus, stop it! Stop it right now!"

"You want a partner in crime?" Damon managed to say over her protests, his voice raspy. "Then forget about Stefan. I'm so much more fun."

Klaus smirked up at Damon before throwing him into a high top table. As the table fell and smashed to the floor, shattering glass, Damon landed hard, puffing for air. Klaus went over to a chair, breaking a leg off it. Tears surfaced behind AJ's eyes. Why wasn't he listening? What the hell was he doing? "Klaus!" she screamed again, panic making her on the verge of throwing herself between the two.

"You won't be any fun after you're dead," Klaus said, standing over Damon, the makeshift stake held lethally in his hand. He kneeled down, bracing a hand on Damon's chest as he raised the stake up. Sucking in his breath when he was about to plunge the stake down, it suddenly caught fire. He scowled at it, throwing it behind him angrily. Gloria stood back by the bar, shoulders squared, and her expression unhappy. "Really?" Klaus said, annoyed.

"Not in my bar," she said crossed her arms firmly. "You take it outside."

"Or not at _all_," AJ said through clenched teeth. Did she suddenly turn invisible or something? It was like no one was paying attention to her. She huffed.

Damon moved to sit up, but Klaus shoved him back down again, getting into his face. "You don't have to negotiate your brother's freedom. When I'm done with him, he won't want to go back." Then he stood, brushing shards of glass off his jeans. Not a second later, he tensed, his eyes finding AJ. He quickly crossed the room to her and opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't," she spat, incensed. "Don't even bother. I'm sick of this. I'm so sick of this." She stormed past him, and shoved through the bar's door. Cool night air met her face, and she had the sudden urge to burst out in tears. But she turned the corner instead. Stumbling over her feet, she walked briskly down the sidewalk; she wished to be anywhere but there. It seemed that she did have too much to drink, which turned her into an even more emotional wreck, not to even mention Klaus's returned darkness and Damon's near death. She looked up at the black, starless sky as she walked, tears involuntarily streaming down her face. Why was this happening? Why couldn't anything be easy?

A second later she walked into someone, and flinched. Before she could look to see who it was she'd accidently hit, hard arms wrapped around her, encircling her in a comforting embrace that was something that seemed so impossibly familiar, she felt like her heart was going to explode.

"Elijah!" she exclaimed, smiling through her tears. "Oh my, God, Elijah—I've missed you so much, you have no idea, absolutely no idea how much I've missed you." Elijah pushed her back gently, and now she could see his real liquid brown eyes, that truly loving gaze, everything about him. He was actually here, and not just something she had to conjure up in her mind. Elated couldn't even describe the way she felt. Everything seemed so much better in that instant. That is, until realization set in. Then she stepped back from him, frowning.

"AJ," he said, smiling down at her. "AJ, I—"he stopped upon seeing her expression, and his face fell. "What's wrong? AJ, what is—"

Her hand came out so fast; she didn't even realize what she did until she slapped him in the face hard enough to make her hand sting. Immediately, her eyes widened at her actions, but she didn't apologize. She didn't even _think_ to apologize.

Holding a hand to his face, Elijah looked down at her, baffled. "Why, might I ask, did you do _that_?"

AJ shook her head slowly. She opened her mouth to speak, but only a sob came out, and her walls finally crumbled down, fell into an oblivion until there was nothing left of her defenses. Her knees shook and gave out, and before she could fall, Elijah was there to catch her, stroking her hair, holding her close to his chest. "AJ, love," he said in such a tender way that it broke her heart. "What's wrong? Please tell me. Are you hurt? Did he touch you? My God, I've been so worried that he's done something—"

"No," she sobbed into his chest, her words muffled. "No, it wasn't him."

His eyebrows pulled together in confusion as he continued to stroke her hair, anything that would help her. "Then who was it, love?"

"It was you," she cried miserably, shaking with more sobs. "It was you, Elijah. Why? Why didn't you tell me? What have you done?"

Elijah froze completely. "What do you mean?" His voice was imbued with caution. "What has he told you?"

She shut her eyes, wishing that all of these terrible things could just go away, and she could just lie against Elijah's chest and feel at ease. But she couldn't. It was time to get answers. Perhaps solace could only be reached through them, or maybe it would disintegrate entirely. "The truth," she said quietly. She tried collecting herself, picking up the pieces of her pride and courage that'd shattered so easily, but it was an arduous task. "He told me the truth."

Elijah looked down at her, searching her eyes. His own were sad and remorseful, yet so loving at the same time. Only he could always hold that as a constant, never compromising it for a second. "AJ," he said in a low voice, filled with guilt. "AJ, I swear I was going to tell you. I was going to tell you everything. I wanted to—"

"Then why didn't you? Why didn't you say something the first time I saw you? Why didn't you ever tell me that my name isn't AJ—it's Alexandra Jaeger? Why didn't you tell me about my real family?" She pulled away from him a little, her eyes wide and her voice trembling. "How could you look at me, and not see the things you did?"

Elijah wanted to drop his gaze, to look away; anything but see the pain in her eyes. He forced himself to meet her questioning look. It was a minimal punishment, but the only one he could make himself suffer through at the time. "AJ," he said quietly, in a near whisper. "AJ, let me explain."

Her eyes were morose and detached. A depressed, listless feeling clouded over her, but she nodded. "I'm listening."

"I'd been heartless back then—the way I was before I came to know you," he began sadly. "From what you know after that, Trevor and Rose took you and brought you to me. They'd thought it was the only way I'd grant them forgiveness. Honestly, I hadn't been happy that they'd found you. You were supposed to be hidden—how you came to be in Mystic Falls in the first place puzzled me. Then Stefan and Damon came for you, and I realized what'd happened. You're natural instinct had guided you there, to protect Elena. You were destined to find her. But having both the doppelganger and the Warrior in one single location was the worst thing that could've happened, with Klaus seeking the two of you out. So I knew I had to go to you, I had to stay. Nothing else could protect you." He looked down at his hands, the expression on her face searing his mind. He did this to her. He made her feel this way. His throat tightened, but he continued. "Those had been my exact thoughts over a decade earlier, when you were a child. I came across you by chance, really, or something of the sort. I'd compelled certain vampires to keep watch in different places, mostly so that I'd know if Klaus surfaced. One had been in Chicago, but had wandered out farther south, crossing into Springfield. You see, the energies you possess give off a sort of… force. It can be potent in the way that, once there is the sense of the force, one follows it. That vampire did exactly that. I hadn't only compelled them to keep watch for Klaus, but for both you and Elena. I'd been in Europe when he called me, telling me that he'd found you. Within several minutes, I'd boarded a plane."

Elijah stopped, his eyes seemingly caught in the past. AJ breathed in and out as she tried to retain her composure. Her anger won out. "Did you have a plan, when you headed to Illinois? Or did you simply go?"

He made a pained noise, splaying white-hot sparks on her heart. She'd told herself long ago that she would hear him out. But she could never have imagined what actually hearing about it felt like. Frowning, she looked at her hands, clamping her mouth shut.

His eyes locked on her again, and he could see subtle and obvious differences in her. She looked afraid; she looked truly afraid. It wasn't something very noticeable at all what with her general impassiveness, but he could see through all the walls she'd put up. Again, he wondered if Klaus had done anything to her. Nothing made the AJ he'd known months ago afraid. And now she looked so small and fragile, her chin trembling as she held in tears.

"I'd tried thinking of several plans," he whispered. With every word he said, it felt like he was vindicating her, abusing her, when she only deserved to be comforted and reassured. He knew he had no right to do those things, anymore. The only gift of comfort he could offer her was honesty. "None of them seemed very practical at the time, since I'd been informed you were so young. When I finally arrived in Springfield, I immediately went to the address I'd been given. I'd ordered the vampire to leave you the moment my plane landed because I'd been wary of what your pull might do to him. He was gone when I got there. For days, I simply watched you and your parents, the way they interacted with you and you with them. It was obvious that they knew something was… different about you, but they didn't seem to care. Even I could see the differences between you and a completely human child. You were much smarter, a little craftier, even then. And you were fearless, of course." The side of his mouth quirked up as he smiled at a distant memory. "I do remember being completely perplexed by your lacking sense of danger. How a child could possess seemingly no fear was beyond me, and even I knew what you were. What you are." His face fell once more, a grim expression setting in. "AJ, I know that what I did was probably wrong, but—"

She straightened up, immediately irate. "_Probably wrong?_" She looked at him incredulously. "Really, Elijah? _Probably?_ And here I thought that you now had a sense of morality. Maybe I was wrong."

"No," he said, and his voice cracked. "No, I _do_ have a sense of morality, love—AJ. I do now, and I have for the most part. But you must hear this part. I knew that if you stayed with your parents, it would only endanger them. They'd have been killed during the process of obtaining you when my brother would've found you, because Klaus doesn't like leaving behind loose strings. I can't say that I did either, at the time, but… well, something made me spare them." His eyebrows pulled together, and he was again looking back at the past. "Something made me despise the idea of harming them. So I didn't."

"But you took me," she whispered, and tears surfaced in her eyes once more. Hastily, she rubbed them away with the back of her hand. When they continued to fall, her hands dropped to her lap in resignation.

In the streetlight, her tears sparkled and glistened. He wanted so badly to reach out and wipe them away, to pull her close and hold her. "Yes," he continued sadly. "I did take you."

"How?"

She sounded so forlorn and empty that he assumed she wanted to know how he could've done it, what right he had to steal a child away from their only home. But her eyes, dulled and miserable, held true question in them. He looked down at his shoes. "I told you I'd watched you for days. Well, I stayed during the nights too, outside, just watching. I'd been going through the best options I had, and I didn't think it wise to leave you for even a second. But there was also something strange I noticed. You never slept. There was a window seat in your room, similar to the one back at the boarding house. Every night—at least for the nights I'd been there—you would go to it and sit, just staring out the window. Sometimes I thought you knew I was there, and that baffled me. When I decided that I'd take you from there, you did the most peculiar thing. It'd been nearly one in the morning, and I remember you'd been sitting, as you always did, at the window seat. But when I looked up, my decision made… you weren't there. I immediately went to the window, first, to see if you'd finally gone to bed. I didn't see you there, so I went into the house, searching for you. My fear of Klaus truly finding you intensified until the moment I saw you standing in a doorway, looking into the room it lead into. That was when I was certain you'd known I was there. You were saying goodbye to your parents without waking them, and there was a small bag packed. It'd been a distressing sight."

AJ's eyes had widened slightly, and she swallowed hard. "I… packed my things? To leave them?"

"Yes," he said. "You watched them sleep for quite some time before you went to your room to grab your things. And then… then you came to me. To this day, I don't understand it. But I took you and we left the state. You'd been miserable, but even as a child, you said nothing about it. You never said a word to me, except to ask what I was."

She shook her head back and forth, disbelieving. "Elijah—I was just a child. There's no possible that that's true. I don't even remember this! I have memories of Robert and Laura, of Ben, those sorts of things when I was little. Not… whatever you just described."

He sighed, his heart filling with remorse. "That, too, would be my doing. Do you remember the first time I spoke to you this year, in the boarding house?" She nodded slowly. His mouth hardened into a firm, grim line. "Do you remember what I told you? You can't be compelled by a vampire. Especially not by Klaus. But if the intentions are good, you can be. Because intentions affect compellation."

Suddenly, she squeezed her eyes shut, the pieces falling together in an instant. "You compelled me," she stated, leaving all traces of emotion locked up tight in her chest. "You compelled me, a child, to forget about the Jaegers and think that the Echos were my family. What else did you compel me to think, or to forget?"

Looking off to the side, a muscle flexed in his jaw. His stare was fixed on a bricked building beyond them, but he was remembering the things he'd told her. Slowly, he said, "I compelled you to forget me. I was afraid that if you didn't, someday you would go looking for answers. I also compelled whatever power or magic or ability you seemed to posses to merely know things, or just do things, to be suppressed. If you knew I planned to take you, then you could also know what Klaus would plan to do to you. As a child, you would have been traumatized, I'm sure. But it wasn't right of me," he said, with a little vigor. "I know it wasn't right of me, AJ. I'm terribly sorry for all that I did, for not telling you in the first place. I completely understand if… if you don't want me here. If you no longer want me."

AJ stared at him long and hard, her lips pressed together with the tears drying in the cool breeze on her face. He'd lied to her, or really, hidden things from her. He'd taken her away from her true family and left her in the care of strangers. He compelled her. These terrible things were done by psychopaths, unfeeling creatures, simply horrible people. But they were also done by an Original vampire who'd still had morals even during his darkest times.

"Elijah," she said in a low voice, looking up at his averted liquid brown eyes. They picked up to meet her gaze, reluctant. "I can't help but think that I should hate you right now. I shouldn't ever want to see you again—I shouldn't stand seeing you at all. No one's ever kept something like this from me before. I should feel absolutely betrayed." His gaze dropped once more, and his shoulders drooped despondently. "But I don't," she said simply, but with a tenderness. He blinked up in surprise. "I don't hate you—I could never hate _you_ Elijah. It's impossible. I love you, and I'll always love you. Nothing could change that."

Elijah was speechless a moment, his eyebrows pulled together, his mouth attempting to form words. Finally he walked to her and grabbed her face in his hands. He didn't waste a second to lean down and kiss her, not softly, but passionately. It was like they'd never been apart—his lips pressed onto hers, and he pulled her as close as he could, reveling in the feeling of her, just her. But just as quick as the passionate kiss had started, AJ ended it. A terrible shock tore through her, and she pulled back immediately.

Breathing raggedly, Elijah gave her a concerned look. "What's wrong? I'm sorry if I hurt you—it's just been so long—"

"No," she said breathlessly. "No, you didn't hurt me. It's just…"she trailed off, looking towards the way she came. Why had she been thinking about _Klaus_?

Elijah glanced towards the way she was looking, but his head whipped back to face her once more. His eyes narrowed at the carved sun pendant resting at the base of her throat. "What is that?"

AJ turned and blinked up at Elijah. "What are you talking—"she stopped when she realized what he was staring at, and her hand flew up to the pendant. Her eyes grew wide. How could she have forgotten she was wearing it? "Elijah, I can totally explain," she said quickly.

He caught himself, and regained his calm composure. "You have nothing to explain. I mean it. After everything I've done, you found it in you to forgive me. So really, love, you have nothing to explain."

Although his words were genuine, she could see the pain he was trying to hide in his eyes. She shook her head. "No, let me explain. It's not what you think—it's _far_ from what you think. He saved me. He—_this_—saved my life."

His eyebrows pulled together, and he was once more concerned. "You were in danger? What happened?"

AJ froze, thinking back to Klaus and Gloria's explanation of the _Lemurė_. "Elijah," she said hesitantly. "If I tell you, you have to promise me that you'll still go back to Mystic Falls. Without me."

His eyes darkened, and he became tense. "AJ, what's happened? I came here to get you—to take you home. I'm not leaving without you."

"Promise me," she urged, her voice cracking. He was always so concerned about her safety—probably even more so now than ever. He wouldn't leave her if he knew the truth, but she couldn't lie to him either. "Elijah, I can't go with you. I can't. It's too dangerous and I'm not going to risk it. You're not going to force me to go with you, either. You can't even think that's a possibility—not at all." She frowned, looking at her hands. "I know how you feel about Klaus, but I'm telling you he hasn't hurt me. He's saved me. That's all." Lifting her gaze back up, her eyes shimmered with sadness. "I need you to promise me, Elijah. If you don't, I can't tell you."

His lips hardened into a thin line, and he was silent for several moments, debating. Then, "How can you ask me to do this?" he said gruffly. "With you gone—AJ, nothing feels right. I can't stand it anymore. I just can't. So why ask me to leave?"

"Because it's for your own protection," she whispered, thinking of the dark gleam in Klaus's eyes. Klaus put up with a lot of things she did, but he wouldn't put up with Elijah being anywhere near her. An image of a dark wooded coffin rose in her mind, and she cringed. That wouldn't be Elijah's fate. She'd make sure of it. "Elijah, I'm doing this for you."

"And I came here for you," he refuted. "You aren't yourself, AJ. I can see that so clearly. You need to come back with me. I'm begging you to."

She breathed out shakily, pressing her lips together hard to keep back any tears. "Elijah," she said firmly. "Promise me. Promise me you'll leave without me. If you don't, then I'll have to leave right now. I'll have to go back to Klaus. You know better than to follow me."

"Do I?" His tone was almost challenging. "I don't fear him, love. And I'll do anything to keep you safe, especially from him. I would follow you anywhere, no matter what it might cost me."

Closing her eyes and shaking her head, she could feel the unshed tears sting. "No. No you won't. I know you're trying to keep me safe, but I _am_ safe. Elijah—it's a long story, and something I want to tell you. I _want_ to go back with you—I want to be with you so badly. But right now, I can't. I'm trying to keep _you_ safe." She opened her eyes, daring to look back at him. His silent stare was heartrending; she could feel the miserable emotions within it and relate.

"Fine," he said reluctantly, his eyes never leaving hers. "I won't follow you. I won't force you to come with me. I'll go back. I promise you those things. But in return, you must promise me something."

She nodded. "Anything. Anything at all."

Striding up to her, he took both of her hands in his. He held them tightly, feeling her warmth emanate off into him. It'd be the last time he could touch her in God knows how long. "AJ," he whispered. "Promise me you'll come back. Even if the danger is still there, promise me you'll come back soon. I'll accept whatever consequences there will be for me, but I need you. It drives me mad to think I hear your laugh, or see you, when really I know you aren't there. It drives me absolutely mad. So promise me you'll come back soon. Do what you must here, but come back to me."

A tear had escaped and fallen down her cheek. Elijah gently reached out to brush it away, caressing the side of her face. Her hazel eyes looked green with the moisture in them, and they were brighter than ever. She breathed out carefully, and nodded. "Okay. I promise I'll come back soon—I just have no way of knowing when. But I will come back to you Elijah. It's all I ever want."

He smiled sadly at her. "As it is for me." His eyebrows suddenly furrowed together. "This thing that's happened to you—what is it?"

Biting her lip, she looked down. "I'm sure that if Klaus has heard of a _Lemurė, _then you have, too."

Elijah's eyes narrowed, and he ground his teeth together. "A spirit attacked you? When? How?"

"It was a couple days ago. I don't really know how—it was there, but I couldn't see it. Something was strangling me and… I don't know. When Klaus heard me, he came immediately. Then when he put this necklace on me," she looked down at the pendant, "it stopped. Apparently it's some kind of protection amulet."

Elijah ground his teeth together more, but nodded. "It is. He… did the right thing. But has he made sure they can't harm you again? Has he taken any steps to get rid of them?"

AJ shrugged. "I'm not sure. He will protect me Elijah. I trust that he will. I think Gloria can come up with something to help me, too, but for now, I have this amulet."

He didn't look at the necklace, but into her eyes. "Just be careful. If something happens—you must contact me. Please."

"I'll try," she said with uncertainty. "But only if it's very significant. I won't risk him finding out, otherwise."

Elijah sighed. "I understand."

AJ was quiet another moment, pensive. Then her bright eyes found Elijah's once more, and there was a new spark in them. "Elijah," she said with a mix of reluctance and certainty. "Can I ask you a favor?"

He took one of her hands gently and brought it to his mouth, kissing it like the true gentleman he was. "Of course. I'll do anything."

"Can you compel me to remember everything?" she asked, holding her breath.

Elijah paused, and with this action AJ felt her hopes sink. But a moment later, he nodded briskly. "Yes, of course. But… are you certain you'll like having these memories?"

"No," she said matter-of-factly. "But I'd hate _not_ having them."

He smiled, genuinely this time. "You haven't changed—not really," he noted, almost to himself. Then he searched her eyes, sobered up. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said with a twinge of fear. "I'm ready."

Elijah had already caught her gaze, but he made it deeper than that, connecting their minds so that he could reach into hers. "Everything I've made you forget, you now remember," he said quietly. Her pupils grew and shrank, and then he broke the connection.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she blinked up at him, but she didn't see _him_ exactly. A rush of memories fell into her mind, yet somehow manifested in the right place at the same time. A woman with wide grey eyes, dark hair, a beautiful smile, and a tender look. Her mother—her _real_ mother. A man with fair hair, bright hazel eyes, and a goofy grin—her _father_. She could suddenly remember being pushed on a swing, the odd new sense of vertigo filling her stomach, and she found she rather liked the feeling of flying. Her hair was whipping to and fro, and every time gravity pulled her back down towards the earth, gentle hands pushed on her back, sending her back up. Then it ceased, and she turned to see her mother giggling, twirling around in a swing beside her as her father stood before them. Dozens of other memories rose in her head, but she held onto this dearly, smiling as tears surfaced in her eyes.

She focused once more on Elijah, the here and now, and looked at him gratefully. "Thank you," she said, elated. "Thank you so much—you have no idea what this means to me."

Elijah smiled back at her, running his fingers down the side of her face. "It's the very least I can do, love."

Slowly, her smile faded, and she looked back towards Gloria's again with a frown. "He'll come looking for me soon enough," she sniffled, rubbing away her tears. "I'd better go."

Elijah frowned, not moving from his place. "I know. And… I'll go back. I'll think of something, but I'll also wait for your return."

Her frown deepened, and she could feel the pain of leaving him enter her body before she even did. Leaning up, she kissed him swiftly. It was a passionate kiss, a loving one, full of longing and need. But she pulled away again, breathless. "I love you," she whispered. Then she turned on her heel and headed back to Gloria's. She didn't dare look back at him.

Sniffling, she edged her way slowly back to the bar. When she came upon it, she stopped. Elijah had been here—he'd been willing to risk himself to take her home. Why was she returning here? Why was she going back to Klaus? Her heart ached, but she decided to push those thoughts away. If she went with Elijah, something terrible could happen.

Without hesitating further, she pushed through the door. The loud chatter greeted her immediately, and the bar was fuller than ever. Gloria was still tending to those sitting up at the barstools. As AJ squinted down there, she realized Klaus was no longer sitting in his seat. Did he go back to the warehouse? AJ turned and went back out the door. The streetlamps had been on for quite some time, but as she headed the way towards the warehouse, they became sparser. An uneasy feeling settled over her, blanketing her. She glanced into every alleyway as she passed, paranoid. Finally, she came upon the door leading inside the warehouse, unscathed.

Her footsteps echoed as she walked inside, and she could see Klaus headed towards the coffins again. He stopped immediately, and turned to face her. His features were impassive, but his voice was unconcealed.

"I thought you'd be leaving," he said despondently, his shoulders pulled down. "I would have come out looking for you, but I didn't think you'd appreciate that after what I did."

AJ sighed, stepping further into the room. "You nearly killed Damon, Klaus. You know I care about him."

"Who don't you care about?" he asked snidely, but then caught himself. He straightened up and breathed out. "I lost my temper with him," he said quietly. "You must admit that he had it coming."

Rolling her eyes, AJ said, "You _would_ say that. And again, that's a sucky apology. Twice in one night. Gee, Klaus, you sure know how to make a girl feel special."

He narrowed his eyes, but made no comment on it. "You chose to leave. Where did you go for so long? Even with that necklace, it isn't safe for you to be alone."

"Really?" she smirked. "You're setting a curfew, too?" When his penetrating stare didn't let up, she averted her eyes to the ground and frowned. "I just took a walk. That's all."

Klaus tensed even more. "I've come to realized that when people add, 'That's all,' it usually doesn't mean that was all. At least, not from you. Now, where did you go? Or was it Damon? Did he follow you out?"

AJ didn't move. "It was nothing Klaus," she said, trying to sound completely earnest. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Oh, how convincing you sound," he said sardonically. "If you won't tell me, then fine. I've come to see if Rebekah's woken. Are you staying or leaving?"

The ever present question, AJ thought sadly. There was rarely a time when she didn't think of leaving, or at least what it would be like to leave. "I'm staying," she said as she headed towards him. Rebekah's coffin was just beyond him.

Klaus nodded and turned to head back towards Rebekah. They came upon the casket and he stopped immediately when he saw what was missing. AJ stuck closely behind him, her skin prickling with goosebumps. Briefly she reflected on all the times she'd watch horror movies. The people would leave the monster somewhere, and when they'd come back, it'd be gone. It always snuck up behind them. AJ held her breath, warily flicking glances here and there. It wasn't a good time to be thinking of horror movies.

Her gaze turned to Klaus, who was staring oddly at something beyond the casket. She looked over and flinched, edging closer to Klaus. Lying on the floor, his arms stretched out at his sides, was the guard. There was gory dark blood crusted over all around his neck, staining his uniform. A feeling of guilt flowered in her stomach. She could have prevented that if she'd tried harder.

"Rebekah?" Klaus called out, his voice breaking through the thick, eerie silence in the warehouse. He sounded almost playful and dark. AJ could feel her heart pound against her ribs. "It's your big brother. Come out, come out, wherever you are."

AJ screamed when a flash of white came at them. Klaus moved quickly so that he was in front of her. Small hands zipped out to grab his shoulder, and another plunged a dagger into his heart. Klaus sucked in a gasp of pain, his eyes widening.

"Go to hell, Nik!" Rebekah said through clenched teeth, digging the dagger into his heart deeper.

When she released her hands, Klaus slowly pulled the dagger out. AJ flushed a deep red when she realized she'd literally cowered behind him. Stepping aside, she watched as Klaus glared at his sister. He held the dagger out, with the blood shining like a jewel under the lights, and dropped it to the floor. Rebekah looked pissed, but calmer.

"Don't pout," Klaus said. "You knew it wouldn't kill me."

Rebekah's eyes narrowed. "No, but I was hoping it would hurt more." Her eyes flicked over to AJ, sparked with a dark interest. "Who is she? Tell me you've brought more to eat," she whined. "One boy is hardly enough."

Klaus gave her a hard look, absentmindedly stepping in front of AJ protectively. "You'll not touch her Rebekah."

Rebekah rolled her eyes and glared at him. "You always did save the sweetest ones for yourself," she spat. Turning on her heel, she walked away with her shoulders pulled back.

Klaus followed her, and AJ followed behind him, unsure of what else to do. "I understand that you're upset with me, Rebekah." He reached out a laid a hand on Rebekah's shoulder, gently tugging her to a stop. Her expression was sullen and empty. Regarding Klaus, it didn't change. "But we're going to let that go," he said quietly, a small smile on his lips. "Just this once. I brought you a little peace offering."

AJ's eyebrows furrowed together, and she dearly hoped that he wasn't talking about her. Just a moment later, he turned towards the far door. "You can come in," he called. AJ watched as Stefan slowly appeared. Stopping several feet away from them, he looked a little anxious. Her gaze flicked to Rebekah, who looked pleasantly surprised.

"Stefan," Rebekah breathed, her eyes locked on his. A small, real smile softened her features.

Stefan stared back at her, confused and on-edge. Klaus broke away from Rebekah, leaving AJ standing behind her, and went to Stefan. He caught Stefan's gaze, and his pupils began growing and shrinking. "Now," he said, "You remember."

AJ thought back to just fifteen minutes ago, when Elijah had done the same for her. What the hell? The purpose in returning her stolen memories had been for the mere comfort of having knowledge and remembrance of who her parents were and what'd happened to her. What did Klaus intend to happen for Stefan remembering meeting the two Originals, back in the twenties?

Stefan's eyes widened and then shut as he absorbed all the things he'd long been made to forget. When he opened them again, there was some new depth to them, something profound and different. He looked at Rebekah with familiarity, a smile growing on his face. "Rebekah," he said, and the way he said it sent shivers down AJ's spine. That was the way he spoke Elena's name.

Rebekah looked almost angelic in the way she smiled back at him, pleased and relieved that he remembered.

Stefan turned back to Klaus. "I remember you," he whispered, awed. "We were friends."

"We _are_ friends," Klaus said genuinely, stepping up to Stefan to place a hand on his shoulder. His eyes found Rebekah's, and he grew grim. "And now the reason you're here," he said almost peevishly as he walked towards her. His eyes flicked to AJ, who seemed utterly confused, and back to Rebekah. "Gloria tells me that you know how to contact the Original witch."

"The Original witch?" Rebekah said, her tone mocking.

Klaus's eyes narrowed. "What do you have that Gloria needs?"

Rebekah rested her hand on her neck, fully expecting to feel something there. Her face slowly fell, and she looked down at where it should be, her eyes wide. "Where's my necklace?" she asked quickly, looking to Klaus angrily. "What did you do with it? I never take it off."

"I don't know," he said with annoyance. "I didn't touch it."

"We need to find it, Nik." Rebekah looked nervous, too nervous for an Original to make AJ feel even the slightest bit at ease. "I want it back. I want it back _now_."

"Tell me that's not what she needs," Klaus was saying over Rebekah. He was quickly losing control of his temper. "Tell me that's not what she needs!" He grabbed Rebekah by her arms, his grip hard and his eyes blazing.

Rebekah shoved him away and went back to her empty casket, pulling the pillows out, digging through every inch of it. When she found nothing, she screamed angrily as she slammed the top shut and shoved it to the floor. It splintered into pieces, making AJ flinch even more.

She turned to look at Klaus, who was fuming with rage, and then Stefan. Stefan stood back from it all, but she could see he wasn't there, with them. His mind was focused on the past, on some distant memory. How she knew that, she wasn't certain. Maybe because the same thing had happened to her. But she also knew that something was gravely wrong. As his eyes focused once more on the present, his gaze locked on hers, and he couldn't hide his panicked expression. AJ swallowed hard. Nothing was ever easy.

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><p><strong>Tell me what you think! (-:<strong>


	8. Give a Little Bit

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

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><p><strong>Eight<strong>

AJ had walked outside in need of some fresh air. Back inside the warehouse, the atmosphere was filled with anger and gloom, and it easily became frustrating to be around. With the vampires' heightened emotions, it was even more annoying than usual. Stefan had returned to reflecting back on his memories, and Klaus and Rebekah had continued quarrelling.

Just by being outside, AJ felt some of the tension lift off her shoulders. The streetlamps were sparse in this area, and she strolled towards one, taking in deep breaths. The city didn't smell the same as the country, she realized. There was a mixture of smells within the air, and none of them were of nature. Suddenly, she thought that it was nice to be somewhere new for a change. She just wished that she, too, could be new. She wished that she could be someone else, somewhere else, with different problems.

Sighing, she looked back up at the starless sky. The moon was waning but provided enough light to cast her surroundings into diverse shades of grey. Her eyes stung bitterly with lack of sleep, and every so often they simply wanted to close of their own will. She wished she could let them. Sleep wasn't something the others had to worry about, so it seemed they didn't worry over her trivial human needs either. She frowned, looking out over the dark landscape. It seemed Klaus had forgotten about his worries of the _Lemurė_, or maybe she was just stupid to have left the safety of the warehouse. Probably both, if she guessed correctly. However, some strange feeling told her she hadn't.

She wondered what was going on with her friends right now. The new school year—_senior _year—would be starting soon, and she wouldn't be with him. The thought made her feel forlorn. Since when did all these things spin so far out of control, she couldn't even take comfort in the fact that she had friends to back her up? Maybe that was just it—she _didn't_ have her friends to back her up anymore. It wasn't that she was so far away from them. It was the fact that, during the time she'd been falling in love with Elijah, she'd prioritized him over them completely. She'd never called Caroline just to catch up or went to Elena just to hang out. No, she'd been a lousy friend when they'd needed her most. Her sorrows for it now were the price she was paying. She just prayed that, should she be able to go back to Mystic Falls, they would accept her apology.

"You know," Klaus said, sounding grim. "You shouldn't be out here alone. It's not very wise."

AJ nearly jumped out of her skin. Her head swiveled to face Klaus, eyes wide. She'd been so consumed in her thoughts that she hadn't heard him approach. Maybe he'd done that on purpose. "Not cool," she snapped, and immediately felt guilty for losing her temper so easily. Closing her eyes, she said gentler, "I hate being snuck up on."

"Didn't mean to scare you, love," he said quietly. Walking up to the streetlamp she stood near, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against it. When she said nothing, he sighed softly. "Although I can't really blame you for leaving, I suggest telling me next time."

One of her eyebrows cocked up, grimly amused. "Should I? Because it seemed that you were a little busy screaming at your little sister, who, by the way, thinks I'm the next part of her three-course meal. I see the way she looks at me." AJ shivered, reflecting on Rebekah's predatory stares. It'd felt like the Original had been draining her blood just by looking at her.

"She won't touch you," Klaus assured her. "She's smarter than that. Besides, she doesn't know who you are, yet. She can be very curious."

"And very hungry," AJ muttered. "She looks hungrier than anything else. God, it was like she was undressing me with her eyes, except the undressing part was replacing with _draining_. That's just wrong. I feel violated."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "You look very tired," he noted. "Perhaps you should—"

"I am not sleeping in the truck," AJ said firmly. "You try sleeping in there. Oh—wait. _You_ don't need to sleep. Well, then I'll tell you how it is. It sucks. Simple as that. I'd much rather just stay awake, thank you."

He frowned at her, but she kept her eyes on the dark sky. "I can find you other accommodations. We may be here for a while longer."

AJ shrugged, growing weary once more. "Do what you like. I'm not trying to bother you, though. Whatever mastermind plan you have going on, you're obviously quite busy with it."

Staring at her for several long moments, he could spot what seemed off with her. "You're tense. Has something happened, other than my sister's aggravating forgetfulness?"

"Nothing's happened," she said listlessly. "I'm only tired."

"I don't buy that. Even with all that's happened before, you hardly ever looked so… gloomy. Not in this way." There was some sort of odd restlessness superimposed in her plaintive and exhausted state. A spark in her eye, maybe, was the source. It looked as if she'd had some sort of revelation, yet one that'd been heartrending. "Elijah," he said suddenly, hissing the name with nearly insensible loathing. He stepped away from the streetlamp, going rigid with his gaze fixed on her. "It was Elijah, wasn't it?"

AJ shifted on her feet uncomfortably, swallowing hard and painfully. A solid lump had formed in her throat as she tried fending off tears for the hundredth time that night. She didn't dare look at Klaus, or her eyes would tell all. "I don't know what you're—"

"Don't," Klaus said sourly, his anger misdirected at her. "Don't lie to me. You said you'd trust me, so trust me. What happened? Did he try taking you with him? Does he know that you know?"

Looking down at her boots, she pressed her lips together. "Klaus, both you and I have had a long day. Maybe you should just let it go for now."

"I will not," he said, enunciating each word separately. "Am I the only one who remembers what giving you that knowledge did to you?" Suddenly outraged with another idea, he spat, "I swear if he's been able to compel you to forget about it again, I will not show him mercy. He will suffer."

Casting a sidelong look at Klaus, she bit her lip, uneasy. "What's gotten into you? Why are you so angry about it?"

At these words, Klaus tried relaxing his taut shoulders. It did little good. "My brother deserves punishment for what he did, AJ. You should have told me the moment you saw him. I would have gladly taken it upon myself to see to it that he gets just that."

AJ frowned at Klaus's incensed expression. She knew she'd only make it worse. "Klaus," she said quietly, flinching when his hard eyes became rapt on her. "If you don't calm down now, you'll only become angrier."

"And why might that be?" He asked mordantly, setting his jaw and squaring his shoulders. Rage rolled off of him in waves, and she could even see he was shaking ever so slightly with it.

Her gaze dropped. She prepared herself for the worse. "Because I listened to what he had to say about it." In the corner of her eye, she could see him go completely stiff. The absolute stillness of his body was unnerving.

Several silent moments passed over them, packed with anxiety and trepidation. Klaus finally chose to speak, his voice dark yet contained. "You are the only creature I know that would do such a thing," he said simply, but the comment made her cringe.

"That's because I know better than anyone when I say that we all make mistakes, Klaus. And we all deserve a chance at forgiveness." Her voice was quiet, but held conviction. Slowly, her eyes rose to his. Meeting his caustic gaze, she wished she hadn't.

"So you've forgiven him, then? After all he's done to you, you've granted him forgiveness." Klaus shook his head, a deep frown setting in on his face. "I should have figured you would, of course. When it comes to Elijah, you're such a pitiful pushover that you'll do anything for him, no matter how he's hurt you. It sounds like a trend, what with you once being with that scum, Lucas."

AJ sucked in a small gasp, her eyes widening. Klaus sighed ruefully. "I didn't mean that," he said, his voice quiet. The anger remained in his stance, but had dissipated from his expression. He looked weary and disappointed. "I just mean that you deserve better than to be treated like that."

"You're one to talk about treating people poorly," she said pointedly, her eyes set in a hard glare. "And no one tells me what I do or don't deserve, Klaus. I decide on my own."

He paused, and in that instant his shoulders fell, something so atypical of his character. "Perhaps you can't see things on your own. Maybe you aren't seeing them the way you should."

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow sardonically. "And tell me, who could show me the way I should be seeing things? How exactly am I getting them wrong?"

Klaus grew frustrated. "AJ, I know I'm not saying it correctly, but you must understand—I'm not used to this. I don't get it the way you do."

"Apparently you get it much better than I do," she continued on, mordant. "Since you basically just implied that you do. You're sounding dangerously close to wanting to talk about certain things, Klaus. Things you didn't want to talk about earlier. Do you think now is the best time for that?"

Preventing himself from lashing out with more words, he turned swiftly to stare up at the warehouse, breathing roughly. "AJ," he said at last, tentative. "Tell me what you want to hear, what apology is apt for you, right now. Just tell me already. Yes, I'm angry about Elijah. Yes, I'm angry that you forgave him so easily. But can't you understand why? I'm not _trying_ to make you upset."

AJ looked down. Upon seeing the sun pendant, her anger dispersed. "It wasn't easy to forgive him—it was complicated. I don't really know how to describe it. I was angry at him. I felt betrayed. But then I heard why he did it, and I couldn't find it in me to be angry anymore. I just couldn't. He gave me back my memories, too. He's trying to make up for it."

"I wish he couldn't make up for it," Klaus said quietly, surprising himself. His mouth settled into a hard line, and he let his gaze travel down the street, away from her.

Slowly stepping in front of him, AJ breathed out shakily. "I know you don't like Elijah, but he's your brother, Klaus. Can't you just set aside whatever it is that's come between the two of you however many years ago and accept that?"

She looked up at him, her eyes sad and pleading. His gaze remained fixed on something else, his thoughts unreadable in his guarded eyes. A minute of silence passed, and then another. AJ looked down again, resting her hand against the sun pendant she wore. How could she get through to Klaus if he wouldn't let her? Was it simply impossible? She considered just giving up, if only for the night. When she was about to turn away, he spoke up.

"It isn't that I don't like Elijah," he said quietly, his eyes still averted from her. In his eyes, she could see something. Some kind of internal battle. When he gaze finally rested on her, she found herself entranced. He looked so _open_. "I've nearly forgotten all the reasons I've been angry with him for the past couple centuries."

Her eyebrows pulled together. "Then why not make amends with him? I don't get it. If you've nearly forgotten your fallout, then surely you can—"

"No," Klaus stopped her, his voice gentle but with a tinge of roughness, like some novel emotion. "Those things that he did before have been overshadowed by things that have occurred more recently. That is what I mean."

AJ struggled to follow along. "I don't get it. What has he done more recently that was worse? I mean, I know he took me and all, but what else? Was it that he tried to kill you at the sacrifice?"

Sighing lightly, he shook his head. "No, not that he tried to kill me. It's… well, it's what he did to you." His gaze dropped immediately, and he looked completely out of place.

AJ's eyes widened slightly, and she took an involuntary step back. "Me? How could you be angrier at what he did to me?" Even as she asked the question, she could see all the pieces settle in their places. Things that'd never truly made sense to her—Klaus's strange gentleness that was only directed at her, the way he'd keep her safe, the honesty he'd displayed about what Elijah did when he could have easily used it to his own advantage, and so much more. She'd only ever chalked those things up to him finding someone to relate to, someone that didn't make him feel quite so alone.

"Because," he said in a low voice as he looked at her openly, his uncertainty bare, "you're the reason I will not forgive him. What he did—it infuriates me. I can't stand the mere thought of him hurting you, whether it is emotionally or physically. However noble he may be, AJ, that doesn't mean he's incapable of inflicting harm, even to you. After what the human, Lucas, did, it's… unbearable to think it'll happen again. To see you hurt, again."

She almost didn't believe what she was hearing—the tenderness in his voice, the soft, unguarded look in his eyes… It seemed surreal, somehow. "Klaus—"she struggled to find words. "What is it that you're saying, exactly?"

Klaus searched her eyes. For what, she wasn't sure. A moment later, he looked disappointed, desolate again. He didn't put his guard back up to hide it. In a whisper, he said, "I'm only admitting that I care, and I won't let anything hurt you. That I will no longer deny it to you. I just thought you deserved to know that much." He moved to step around her, to head back to the warehouse, but she stopped him by blocking his way.

Her eyes were still wide and her mind was processing his words, repeating them over and over in her head. She had the feeling he hadn't said all there was to say. "Klaus," she said slowly. "I… I'm not entirely sure what to think, right now." She bit her lip. That was a small lie. "But… I care, too." When the words left her mouth, she knew she meant it. She'd known it for a long time, but she never cared to let _him_ know it. What could this possibly mean, though? Did it change things? Was he going to be the Klaus that was kind and gentle all the time? No, she realized, he couldn't possibly be. And she wasn't going to ask him to. She wouldn't ask him to change. But was he willing to? Did she _want_ him to? Her head swarmed with profound thoughts, and her heart began beating rapidly. She was certain she didn't yet understand the lasting consequences of what she'd just admitted to him.

The moment felt fragile, the way she'd never felt something before, somehow not even with Elijah, and butterflies surged through her stomach. The way he was looking at her was different than usual, but the same altogether. He seemed relieved, or maybe just happy. She'd never known what he looked like being simply happy. If this was it, then she could surely get used to it.

Their gaze broke when he glanced up at the warehouse again, and the strange emotion in him faded. Then he looked down the street, towards Gloria's. "Gloria keeps rooms above the bar," he said, his eyes finding her once more. "We can take your things there for the night, if that sounds fine."

AJ stared at him a moment longer. "Yes," she said, careful to sound composed. "That sounds perfectly fine."

He nodded, seemingly pleased. "I'll go get your things, then. But I'd like for you to follow me inside. It isn't safe for you out here."

* * *

><p>Gloria had a number of rooms above the bar, most of which were vacant for visitors and future renting. Her view of Klaus hadn't affected her consent to allow AJ to use one for the night. Truly, she'd been more than welcoming to AJ, showing her up to one of the more luxuriously furnished rooms. The carpeting and walls were different shades of classic sandy beige, and the furniture consisted of dark wood and equally light colors.<p>

Now, as AJ watched the door pull close behind Gloria, she caught the glare the older witch was sending at Klaus, who was settling AJ's backpack on an antique-looking winged armchair in the corner of the room, beside a window. Her eyebrows shot up.

"What does she have against you?" AJ asked suddenly, curious.

Klaus looked blank for a moment before his features creased with amusement. "You mean Gloria? Let's just say we'd gotten along fine until her bar got caught in the crossfire of some particularly nasty business. She hasn't forgiven me for it since."

She thought this over a minute. "I guess I just thought that being as old as she is, she wouldn't hold much of a grudge over things. At least not with people she knew way back when. But I guess she's a little…"

"Feisty?" Klaus supplied, grinning. He walked over to the bed and stretched out on it, folding his arms behind his head lazily. "She isn't the only one, darling."

AJ glowered at him petulantly. "Don't call me that. And get off my bed."

"Don't call you darling or feisty?" Klaus asked, not making any move to do as she said. "They're both very true."

Rolling her eyes, she went over to her backpack and pulled out a t-shirt and shorts, as well as some toiletries she'd need. "Don't call me feisty," she said on her way to the bathroom. At the idea of a hot shower, she grew excited. It'd been a while since they stayed in just one place for more than a day, and she could take a shower longer than three minutes finally. Before entering the bathroom, she gave Klaus a pointed look. He was still lounging back, smirking. "You know, you could at _least_ take off your shoes. It'd be much appreciated." Then she stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind her.

The first thing she noticed in the wide gilt-bordered mirror was how exhausted she really looked. Dark shadows had taken up residence below her eyes and the pallor of her skin was lighter than usual. She was thankful that she didn't wear makeup, or it'd have been smudged and greasy by now. Sighing, she started up the shower as hot as she could handle it, and then began pulling off her clothes.

Steam filled the bathroom almost immediately, fogging up the mirror. She set her clean clothes on the countertop and folded the others in a neat pile on the floor before she stepped into the shower. She nearly moaned in pleasure when the hot water hit her skin. The feeling had always been euphoric to her. Her shoulders finally relaxed from the long day, and she felt more at ease. Going through the normal routine slowly, she'd showered in ten minutes. Stepping out, she quickly dried off and dressed, feeling paranoid about Klaus walking in on her just for kicks. Although it was pretty low to think he'd do it, part of her knew he probably would. Nothing was there to stop him except his own decisions, which she came to doubt by now. The whole bit about them admitting their attentions to one another made her doubt a lot of things, and sent a flutter of butterflies through her stomach for the second time that night.

Leaving her hair to dry on its own, she decided she wanted to get her sketchbook out before going to sleep. Normally, she'd sketch any person they'd meet, or any sight she didn't want to forget. The last couple days had been so hectic; she hadn't retrieved her book at all. As she stepped out of the bathroom, she fully expected the room to be empty. Although she'd showered in ten minutes, she'd taken her time indulging in feeling refreshed. She was surprised to find Klaus still lounging on the bed, his eyes closed, and his shoes on the floor at the foot of the bed. She stopped for a moment, her gaze on his features. His chest rose up and down rhythmically, and his face was set in such a way that it was breathtaking. He looked so peaceful like this, so at ease. She'd never seen him look completely relaxed before.

"You're staring," he said, opening his eyes to meet hers, directly. "I suppose I don't really mind. It's a compliment."

AJ rolled her eyes. "You're so funny," she said sarcastically, and returned to her backpack. Her face heated up when she realized just how short her shorts were. There was definitely a descent amount of skin exposure. Brushing this thought off, she grabbed her sketchbook and pencil. There was another winged armchair across the room, and she went to settle into it.

"I always knew you thought so." His eyes followed her movements. "I thought you were going to sleep? Aren't you tired?"

"I am," she said, flipping open to a new page. "I just wanted to do something first." She pondered what she could draw, and immediately thought of Rebekah. The Original was beautiful, but definitely puzzling. As she began her sketch, she felt the weight of his stare on her. She blushed again, but tried to ignore it.

"You've been drawing all summer," Klaus noted. "How is it that you haven't filled that book up, yet?"

AJ shrugged as she began working on Rebekah's soft facial features. "I'm not sure. How is it that we only came across one pack of wolves?" Her eyes flicked up to him. He was giving her a hard stare. "Kidding," she said, holding her hands up in surrender. "I'm just kidding." A smirk appeared on her face as she returned to the drawing.

Klaus was silent for several minutes. When she looked up, she met his rapt gaze. "Why are you still staring at me?"

He shrugged. "I've never seen your hair like that. It suits you."

Fighting a smile, AJ raised an eyebrow. "You mean wet? Gee, thanks. It's nice to know you find my hair being wet suiting. It doesn't imply any suggestive things at all, I'm sure."

Klaus smiled deviously, sending flutters through her stomach. "Really? I thought it did."

Averting her gaze back down to her drawing, she tried pushing those thoughts away. "So when are you leaving? I'll go to bed soon, but not until after you've left."

Klaus paused, and within that pause, an odd feeling filled the room . "I'm not leaving you alone," he said slowly. "Gloria's not going to stay up all night to make sure nothing happens to you. Even if she did, I doubt she'd be able to stop it herself. And like I said before, that necklace isn't enough. It only keeps the spirits from possessing you."

A shiver went down her spine. Unbidden images rose up in her mind, searing and painful. "What would happen if they did?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Klaus sat up, his expression solemn. "They won't. They can't get to you, AJ. I promise."

She nodded, however dubiously, and looked down at her nearly finished drawing. All she had left to do was Rebekah's old dress. She set the sketchbook aside with a sigh, rubbing at her eyes wearily. It could be finished later on. "I don't get what they'd want me for anyway. I mean, who's still around that they can get retribution from? Everyone from that time is either dead or a vampire."

Settling back once more, Klaus tossed this over in his head. "Well, maybe they're so set to see it through that they don't have any true plan behind it. Or maybe it really is a vampire they're after. It wouldn't be very odd, I suppose."

AJ scoffed. "It wouldn't be odd at all. Vampires are notorious for doing terrible things. In fact," she said facetiously, "I can think of quite a few, at the moment. Mainly one in particular, though." She stood, hiding her smile, and picked up the sketchbook to put back in her bag.

Klaus was giving her a reproachful look. "Sometimes terrible things are necessary to make change," he reasoned. "Like war, for example. Do you not think war is terrible?"

"Klaus," AJ groaned. "I'm not going to get into the whole Guns versus Butter thing with you. I'm too tired and I don't like politics."

"Still, do you understand my point? I don't do terrible things just out of whim." AJ gave him a disbelieving look. "Okay," he mended. "Sometimes I do. You're missing the point, though."

AJ walked over to the other side of the large bed, looking between the open space left and Klaus. "I'm not missing the point. I'm just sleepy. So if you're going to stay the entire night… where exactly are you going to, you know, stay?"

Giving her a devious look again, Klaus made a point to look comfortable. "What's wrong with right here?"

She crossed her arms and gave him a hard look. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe that I'd actually like to get some sleep?"

A dark gleam in his eyes made her heart pound against her ribs. "What are you suggesting would keep you from sleeping?"

Rolling her eyes, she huffed. "I swear, talking to you is like talking to a hormonal teenage boy. You're all about innuendo."

Klaus pouted. "You don't mean that. Well, I'm sure you do, but I don't mind."

When it became apparent that he wasn't moving, AJ simply got into bed. She ignored him as best as she could, but the only light remaining on sat upon the nightstand on his side. Frowning, she said, "Turn off the light."

He grinned. "So your preference is darkness? Terrific. I could never really stand a girl who liked—"

"Don't even finish that sentence," she said, turning on her side to face the wall. A moment later, the light flicked off. It took several minutes for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. An insidious feeling settled over her. What if Klaus was wrong? What if he couldn't protect her? No, she thought firmly. He could. He promised. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax.

"Sweet dreams," she heard Klaus say quietly. With her eyes closed, she smiled. Yes. Everything would be just fine.

_In the dream, the place reminded her of a movie set in the old, ancient times. The ground was merely dirt with sparse growth of grass peeking up here and there. Tall trees rose high into the sky, lush and green with life. The sky itself, though not cloudy, had a dreary cast to it. Several wooden structures were erected around a central tree, the tallest. People were walking back and forth, clad in old, handmade clothes that looked to be leather or animal hides. _

_A young fair haired girl—Rebekah—had set out in a sprint, giggling as a little boy followed behind her. "Come on Henrick!" she shouted giddily. "Our brothers are fighting again." They dashed over to where the clashing of swords could be heard. Many of the working men hauling food and tools from place to place cast them wary looks, but said nothing of it._

_Rebekah and Henrick arrived just as a man with dark, longer hair struck a blow to another with lighter hair. Elijah and Klaus. Klaus parried the attack, as well as the others that quickly followed. Elijah moved quickly, but Klaus kept up. _

_Stepping back and breathing heavily, Elijah smiled as he took note of Rebekah. He walked around Klaus, and they stepped carefully in a circle. "Oh look," Elijah said, the accent in his voice more prominent, "Sister's arrived. To watch my fast approaching victory."_

_Klaus grinned, brandishing his sword. "On the contrary, Elijah." He grunted as he slewed the sword towards Elijah, who met the attack with ease. They continued to fight quickly, their footwork expert, their jabs towards one another met until Klaus slashed the sword towards the belt at Elijah's waist, slicing it. "They've come to laugh at you," Klaus said, victorious. Rebekah and Henrick laughed; Elijah, with his light temper, accepted the defeat. _

_Only a few paces away, a couple had come to a stop. There was a woman with light, alabaster skin and loose golden hair, holding a wooden bucket. Beside her stood a man with silvery blonde hair just reaching his shoulders; he was trying to reign in his temper._

"_Relax, Mikael," the woman said gently. She appeared uneasy as she looked between Klaus and Mikael. "Nicklaus means well."_

_Mikael didn't look comforted by her words. "That is precisely the problem." He stepped towards Elijah and Klaus slowly, his anger growing._

_The smile on Rebekah's face faded as she watched Mikael. The tension surged throughout the group, and even Klaus looked troubled. He looked to the woman, but she only stepped away, averting her eyes._

_Mikael approached Elijah, reaching out for his sword. With reluctance, Elijah gave it up, his face falling into a frown. _

"_So," Mikael said loudly, now in possession of the weapon. He turned around to face Klaus, his features austere. Klaus met his eyes apprehensively. "Why don't you teach me that trick, young warrior." Mikael's tone left no room for argument. Quickly, he raised the sword, and Klaus prepared to ward it off just as quickly. Mikael sent one hard blow at Klaus, making him grunt. _

"_Father," Klaus was imploring. "We were just having fun."_

"_We fight for our survival," Mikael seethed angrily. "And you find time for fun? I want to have fun!" he shouted in rage. "Teach me! Come on, boy!"_

"_Father," Klaus tried to reason. "It was nothing."_

_With an angry cry, Mikael raised the sword again. He hit Klaus with blow after blow, before knocking Klaus's own weapon from his hands. Removing one hand from his own sword, Mikael shoved Klaus's chest and then kicked him, sending Klaus flying to the ground. Klaus landed, gasping for air when Mikael stood over him, crying out once more as he held the sword ready to plunge into Klaus's neck. The tip of it pressed into Klaus's skin, and he held back, breathing in shortly. _

_"You are foolish and impulsive, my boy," Mikael said through clenched teeth. When Klaus said nothing, Mikael continued. "What? No more laughter?"_

_The woman stood beside Elijah now, and both looked unsettled. "You've made your point, Mikael," she said, ill at ease._

_Mikael stared down at Klaus; his eyes a burning inferno of disgust and fury. In one sharp movement, he plunged the sword down. Klaus closed his eyes, preparing for the pain._

AJ gasped, sitting up straight in an instant, her heart pounding against her ribs with a relentless force. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, and she felt moisture dripping down her face. A strange feeling cut through her heart, like someone had tried yanking it from her chest.

"AJ?" Klaus was beside her, placing a hand on her cheek to catch her attention. The light was on behind him, and through the window, she could see it was still dark out. The room was cold, but Klaus was warm, fending the cold air away from her. "AJ, what's wrong? Were you attacked again? I didn't see anything, but—"

"No," she said breathlessly, closing her eyes. "No—just a dream. It was just a dream."

Klaus searched her face. Tears were dripping off her chin and her entire body was trembling. He gently brushed the tears away, and then placed his hand over hers. "It doesn't look like it was just a dream."

She opened her eyes again and looked up at him, stunned. It _had_ been a dream, hadn't it? How could her mind have made up something so strange? "Klaus," she said seriously. "Don't think I'm crazy, okay?"

He nodded. "What is it?"

Looking out at the window again, the entire scene played out in her head. It sent chills from the top of her spine to the tips of her toes. "Who's Mikael?" she asked, her eyebrows pulling together. "I had this crazy dream—it was so real, though. This man, Mikael, was attacking you. You'd been fighting Elijah—_sword_ fighting—and he was mad about it. So he just blew up on you, and before I woke up, it looked like… like he was going to kill you. That's crazy, isn't it?" She looked back up to him, searching his eyes. A feeling of dread pitted in her stomach when she saw how grave he became.

"Mikael," he said slowly. "You're sure his name was Mikael?"

"Yes," she said, positive. "And there was a woman there—his wife, I think. I saw Rebekah, too, and a little boy named… Henrick?" She felt like a babbling fool. How could this mean anything to him? But it seemed like it did. He was tense.

Blinking down at AJ, Klaus shook his head slowly. "That's not possible," he murmured to himself. "It's simply not possible… unless—"he stopped, his eyes growing wide.

"Unless what?" AJ asked in a tiny voice.

"When you saw Elijah—AJ, did he try to compel you at all? Do you remember?"

"Why?" she asked, dubious. "Why does it matter?"

"It matters," he said quickly, his demeanor fervent. He placed his hands on either side of her face. "Did he compel you to… do anything? To forget, or something else?"

AJ cast her gaze down, biting her lip. "I asked him to make me remember what he took away," she said quietly. "He'd taken away my memories, and—"she stopped short, her eyes wide. "And he said that he took something else away. He made me suppress it."

"Yes," Klaus said. "So it's true. You did have an ability. You _do_."

Her eyebrows scrunched together. "An ability? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the abilities that most Warriors have had. Some are supernatural, some are some form of psychic or mediumship—it can vary. I always thought that you're ability was to have to separate sides, completely opposite of one another. But that's not it."

"Then... what _is_ it?" she asked slowly, unsure she wanted an answer.

He shook his head, his mouth hardening into thin line. His excitement wore away quickly. "I'm not certain. Some sort of knowing, or being able to connect to another person. That dream you had? That was real. That happened, very long ago. And I think you had it because in some way, you connected to my memories"

AJ pulled out of his grasp. She brought her knees up to her chest, lacing her fingers together at her shins. She grew cold once more since she didn't have his body heat to keep her warm. Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out, trying to remain composed. When she'd become calmer, she asked, "What happened, then? Did he… hurt you? This Mikael?"

Klaus was silent for several moments. "Not then, he didn't."

Her eyes snapped back open, hearing the detached tone in his voice. That was unusual. "Then when? Who was he?"

He turned away from her, his interest from the previous moments dissipated. "AJ, please drop this. You should go back to sleep."

"And what? Have more dreams about your past? No. It's too… scary."

He stole a sidelong look at her, frowning. "Why were you crying?" he asked suddenly. "What else did you see?"

Pressing her lips together, she tried to think of something reasonable to cry about. Dead kittens? Natural disasters? None of those had happened, and he wasn't stupid. She thought back to when she'd admitted to caring about him. "I… I think I was crying because I thought he was about to kill you."

Turning back to face her, he caught her hands gently. The look in his eyes was heartrending. "Is that true?"

She nodded solemnly. "Yes. You know I care about you."

Klaus stared at her a moment longer before he pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair softly. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm sorry you were frightened."

Somehow, something felt right about the way he held her. Her taut muscles relaxed instantly, and she was comforted by the warmth that emanated from his body. The moment was peaceful and comforting, altogether something polarized from what she'd come to expect. She could close her eyes for a moment, just a moment, and feel at ease. Even as images of Elijah, her true love, projected in her head, she couldn't find it in her to pull away from Klaus. Not now. Besides, it wasn't as if they were doing something wrong. It was an innocent hug. "It's not your fault," she said quietly. "But… who was Mikael?" She stiffened when she went through the dream again, and her mouth gaped open. She pulled away from Klaus, from his comfort and warmth, dropping her hands to her lap. "Oh my gosh. You called him 'Father.' He's—Mikael's your _father_."

He hushed her immediately, his eyes holding some obscure emotion. "AJ—you mustn't speak his name. Not ever."

"Why not? Isn't he… well, isn't he in one of those caskets back at the warehouse?" She was hesitant to bring up anything pertaining to his family's mostly cadaverous state, especially since it always reminded her of what could happen to Elijah, but wasn't it true?

"No," he said, looking down at his hands. "AJ, this isn't something I'd like to talk about."

Biting her lip, she searched his downcast eyes dubiously. "Why not? You know you can talk to me. I mean, after earlier… You know you can."

He nodded, almost to himself. "Yes, I know I can. Just not now, not tonight."

AJ felt an odd emotion slither through her veins; something cold and ambiguous. Something wasn't right, she knew, but she couldn't press him to admit it or confide in her. He had to do that of his own volition, his own choice. An anxious feeling tightened in her chest. Would he ever choose to confide in her? Looking at him, then, being so close to him, feeling the warmth of his body, she thought that it was a possibility. As long as something was a possibility, she could have hope for it.

With hidden trepidation, she put a hand to his chest, willing him to lie back down without words. He complied, settling his arms behind his head once more, his blue eyes glued to the ceiling almost sullenly. As she looked down at him, a flutter of butterflies surged through her stomach. It wasn't the darkness within that controlled her, that urged her on. No, it was of her own true will, her desire. Finally, she rested her head on his chest and settled in close to him, closing her eyes. He tensed immediately with surprise, but relaxed as he looked down to her. Without tearing his gaze away, he reached over and turned off the light. AJ was already asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what are your thoughts on this chapter? I personally liked it, but I'm not certain. Let me know! (-:<strong>


	9. That's Close Enough

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

* * *

><p><strong>Nine<strong>

Klaus smiled mischievously as he held out his champagne glass again, allowing the slim blonde employee to refill it for the third time. From her place perched on the arm of a red modern chair, AJ glowered between him and Stefan, her arms crossed firmly over her chest. They'd started drinking the moment they'd arrived, and hadn't let up since. However, that wasn't the only thing she found aggravating.

"I really don't see why _I_ need to be here," she muttered, her eyes skimming over the boutique distastefully. Although shopping was one of her many avocations, she found she had absolutely no interest in it without Elena, Bonnie, or Caroline. Had they been here, they would have adored this store. It was modern and chic, with baby-blue curtains separating the small shopping and seating area from the dressing rooms. The mere thought of being away from her friends evoked a grumpy mood in AJ.

Klaus brought the glass to his lips, shooting AJ a questioning look. "Would you like some champagne, love?" He held up the glass of honey-colored liquid. "Perhaps it'll take some of the edge off."

"I'm not edgy," she said with indignation. Upon hearing the tone in her own voice, she cringed, averting her eyes to the ground.

A small rueful smile appeared on Klaus's lips. "Sure you aren't. What's wrong? Did you not sleep well?"

"I slept fine," she said quietly, reflecting back to the previous night. Really, it'd been the best sleep she'd gotten in months, and she was certain the glow to her skin revealed it. A blush reddened her cheeks when she looked at the reason why, lounging back in his chair. "I'm just—"

"There _must_ be more to this dress," Rebekah's voice carried out of the dressing room crossly.

Klaus heaved a sigh, his attention turning to his sister. "There's not."

Pushing aside a baby-blue curtain strung with misty colored beads, Rebekah strutted out of the dressing room wearing a short, deep necked black and beige checkered dress. As she came out, Stefan's bored gaze rose from the floor to her, unchanged.

"So women in the twenty-first century dress like prostitutes, then?" She said acridly, planting a hand on her hip.

AJ rolled her eyes. "Well, maybe if you looked at something on one of _those_ racks," she pointed to a group of clothing racks with designer jeans and sweaters, "you wouldn't look like a prostitute. Just a thought."

Rebekah's eyes narrowed at her. "You know, I got dirty looks for wearing trousers."

"You wore trousers so women today could wear nothing," Klaus spoke up, miffed.

Shooting him a dirty look, AJ muttered, "You wish."

"And what is this music?" Rebekah squinted around them, apparently ignoring her brother and AJ. "It sounds like a cable car accident."

"It's dance music." Stefan explained slowly, looking dubious of Rebekah.

Rebekah raised a disdained eyebrow. "People dance to this?"

"Are we done?" Klaus's patience was wearing thin, no matter how much champagne he drank.

"And why are you so grumpy?" She gave him an incredulous look.

Klaus ground his teeth together, but remained placid. "I needed one thing from you to find out why my hybrids were damaged. One thing—your necklace. And you lost it."

Rebekah put both hands on her hips. "I didn't lose it. It's just been missing for over ninety years."

Klaus gave her a thin smile, rolling his eyes. They landed on AJ, who was staring out the window absentmindedly. It was sunny outside, and the light cast out from the window created a luminous red halo around her dark hair. Her lips were pressed together and her eyes were searching, as if she knew there was something out there. The small crinkle between her eyebrows was symptomatic of her worry; her hand was held to his necklace, encompassing the small sun pendant like it held reassurance. He frowned.

Rebekah had turned to Stefan, a small smile playing at her lips. "So what do you think?" She turned around, modeling the dress for him. He draped one arm over the back of the chair, trying to look interested. "I like it."

Stopping, Rebekah gave him an irritated look.

"What?" he asked innocently. "I said I liked it."

She shook her head, storming back into the dressing room. "I can always tell when you're lying, Stefan."

Stefan looked at her incredulously, turning to Klaus, who shrugged. "Nice one. Good work."

"You're the one who pulled the dagger out of her," Stefan murmured with a renegade tone.

"I heard that." Rebekah's sharp voice drifted from the dressing room.

Stefan placed his drink conclusively on the table, standing up. "All right, I'm gonna go get some fresh air."

Klaus nodded and refilled his drink again. His eyes roamed over to AJ once more, and he set the drink down altogether, turning to face her. She didn't seem to take notice. Her demeanor was the same—worried and waiting—but her eyes were focused on something, widening in just the slightest way. He turned to see what she was looking at. The sidewalks outside were busy with people moving every which direction, a tightly packed immense crowd with arbitrary movements so that the eye lingered on each passerby; cabs and buses filled the streets, a never ending confluence of traffic at this time of day. He perused every single face, every car, every bus, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Turning back to her, he was surprised to find her gold-flecked eyes on him.

"What is it?" Although he'd seen nothing, that didn't mean the possibility of him overlooking something wasn't at least present, though he would have never thought it possible before.

AJ shrugged, her shoulders raising and lowering listlessly. "Nothing." Her eyes scanned the store again, landing back on Klaus with confusion. "Where's Stefan?"

"I think Rebekah's a little overwhelming for him." Klaus cast a wary glance at the dressing room. "He went out for a while."

AJ, too, turned to the dressing room, curious. She wondered what it was like for Rebekah, what the Original was thinking. For ninety years, she remained in a corpse-like state, dead to the world, to everyone except Klaus and Elijah. She'd known people before—she'd known _Stefan_. Now that she's woken up, everything's different, twisted, the generations are new and the vampires have changed, however minimally or profoundly.

"I can't imagine it's easy on her," AJ said quietly, staring over at the baby-blue curtains. "Having been dead, I mean. I think it'd be lonely to be nearly nonexistent ninety years, only to wake up to a completely new place."

Klaus gave her an obscure look. "In our existence, ninety years is hardly any time at all."

AJ paused. "So what's a moment like? A minute? Or a day?"

Staring at her, he searched her face. Her eyes had cast down to the floor and her cheeks suffused with a light red color, as if she was embarrassed about her questions. When she peeked up at him meekly, he held her gaze. "Moments can be fleeting, as can days," he murmured. "When everything is so similar, day to day, it can blur together, I suppose. But… they last when things are different. New. When they're worth lasting."

AJ smiled, and from her height perched upon the arm of the chair, he could see the smallest dimpling at the sides of her lips. He became transfixed to this new observation, until her voice caught his attention.

"That's maybe the most… charming thing you've ever said to me," she admitted in a quiet voice.

Klaus opened his mouth to reply, but their conversation ended abruptly when a high pitched English accent piped up beside them.

"What's going on with the two of you?" Rebekah asked, now wearing a new, light pink dress, her arms crossed over it firmly. Narrowed, her eyes flicked between AJ and Klaus with suspicion.

AJ flinched away from Klaus like a jolt of lightning had sprung through her, though she'd hardly been very close to him at all. A blush appeared on her face; only the guilty reacted like they'd been caught doing something they weren't supposed to like that. "What do you mean?" she asked Rebekah, and inwardly cringed when her voice came out a pitch wrong.

Rebekah raised an eyebrow, her expression unchanged. "I mean that you were looking at my brother like some schoolgirl with a crush. Who are you again? Nik," Rebekah shifted towards him, "who did you say she was?"

A deeper crimson color stained AJ's cheeks, and she bit her lip, looking down at her hands. An odd feeling squirmed in her stomach, making her feel nearly light-headed. Klaus caught this and sent Rebekah a hard glare. "Ninety years of being a corpse has obviously had no effect on your manners, dear sister. I highly suggest not speaking to AJ that way again."

Rebekah's eyes slitted even more. "Don't tell me," she said in a flat tone. "_You_ have a little schoolboy crush on her, don't you?" She regarded AJ once more, her eyes skimming from her toes up, focusing on her face and neck. "Well, that does explain why she's wearing _that_ necklace, of all. I do remember why you were given it when—"

Klaus's threatening glare cut her off abruptly. Circumventing the question, Klaus continued on pointedly. "Rebekah, I warn you only for your own good. AJ is the Warrior."

Rebekah suddenly sucked in a breath, her eyes widening. She looked from Klaus to AJ, disbelieving. "But—she's _alive_. That's not possible—I mean, even if she _did_ assent to help you—she's still _human_—and the necklace—"

"Rebekah," Klaus growled. "Enough."

Glancing between the two siblings, AJ grew confused. What did Rebekah mean she was still human? What _else_ was she supposed to be? And what about the necklace?

An abstruse look took over Rebekah's features, and she and Klaus had a silent contest of narrowing their eyes at each other petulantly. Finally, she huffed and turned on her heel, muttering something about truths being found out anyway.

AJ tore her gaze away from the receding Original, returning to Klaus. "What the heck was that about?"

Klaus was still glaring at the back of Rebekah's head. "Nothing," he said shortly, his anger dissipating slowly. He looked away. "It was nothing. She's just never met a Warrior before. That's all."

"I seem to remember a certain someone telling me that when someone says, 'That's all,' it really isn't all. Or am I mistaken?"

Pressing his lips together, Klaus glanced back out the window. "She should hurry herself up. I'd like to get over to Gloria's within the hour."

"Ooh," AJ commented. "Change of subject, too? I'm thinking we're going to have to have a talk about avoiding straight answers later on. What do you think?"

"I think," Klaus said quietly, "that you should let this go. Just this once?"

AJ considered this. "Don't you know me at all, Klaus? I'm too stubborn and too curious to let it go, now."

He sighed lightly. "I figured as much. And I _do_ know you." His eyes returned to her with concern. "I know something's not right. You still look worried about something. What did you see outside?"

She groaned. "I was just imagining things. It happens, from time to time. Seriously, with all that's happened to me already, it's a wonder I haven't lost my mind yet. What's a hallucination or two?"

"Why are you so bent on it being a hallucination? Won't you just tell me what you saw, then?"

AJ sent him an icy look. "You wanted to drop the subject about whatever Rebekah mentioned. It's not fair that we can't drop this, too."

"This pertains to your safety," Klaus reasoned. "I will not dismiss anything, however small or big, that could affect your well-being."

Pausing a moment, AJ dropped her gaze to her hands, reluctant. It was a dangerous thought—a dangerous thing to voice, she knew—but she never let anything dangerous deter her actions. "Is this because of last night?"

Klaus looked at her downcast eyes steadily, but the previous night's occurrences had been on his mind all morning. No one in his entire existence had ever interacted with him in that way, had seemingly felt content to be so near him. He'd watched her sleep for hours, even as his own drowsiness settled in. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. However, I'd like to believe that I'd still be very concerned, right now. Though, I think I'd be much more inclined to forcing you to tell me. I'm not going to."

"Good. Because, should you try to force me to tell you, I'd only have more incentive to do otherwise. I'm very pro-shelving this topic for another time. Say… never. It's really not a big deal."

"So _you_ say," he muttered. "Might I remind you that your presence of mind pertaining to danger is most definitely beyond being questionable?"

AJ rolled her eyes. "I don't need to be reminded." She focused on his deep blue eyes, but tried not focusing _too_ much. Things were different now—she was seeing him in new ways, seeing things she hadn't before; that enticing shine in his eyes when he smiled that'd send shivers through her body, and the way the warmth of his body had a new sort of pull on her, like she couldn't help but edge closer to him. Those thoughts were dangerous, she knew. They were damning and tempting. They were making her blush for the nth time that morning because she was just now realizing that she'd lost herself in his eyes, as well as the words she'd meant to say.

"And there you two are again," Rebekah commented as she departed the dressing room, her arms crossed once more. "Staring into each other's eyes like forbidden soul mates. Are you lovers? Nik, since when did you keep a—"

"Rebekah!" Klaus scolded, shooting her a dirty look. He noted her new apparel with disinterest. "Are you quite done yet? We must be going to Gloria's soon. I'm not going to wait any longer."

AJ wondered if her nerves would ever let up, but found solace in the fact that Klaus looked the slightest bit diffident as well. Rebekah looked between the two of them oddly. "Well," she said finally, her voice presiding. "I must get AJ's opinion on this dress, and that will decide whether we're done or not. AJ? What do you think? Any classier?" Rebekah was twirling and posing, looking every bit like a model.

Stifling a laugh, AJ tried to look as serious as she could. Rebekah's new dress was a pale beige; a beautiful color with the Original's pallor and hair. "Yes, actually. You look wonderful."

Rebekah beamed. "There's someone who finally tells the truth." She fished for the tag dangling on a hook pinned to the side of the dress, examining it with blasé. "Well," she said shortly. "Nik, I'm sure you don't mind paying for this. You did, after all, leave me in a filthy casket for ninety years."

"Not a problem," Klaus stood, immediately grateful that the shopping was concluded. Rebekah handed him the price tag to take to the register and lingered behind with AJ, who was still perched upon the arm of the chair. She gave the Warrior an indifferent look. "My brother seems quite fond of you."

Wanting to groan in exasperation, AJ chose to remain placid instead. "I don't know," she shrugged. "If you think so."

"That's the thing." Rebekah planted a hand on her hip, her eyes perusing over AJ once more. "I do think so. I can tell when Stefan's lying—I can tell when people are genuine. He's genuinely very… affectionate towards you. Oh," she said as if she'd just remembered something, "and do you know where he went last night? I'd lost track of him, and I'd been afraid he'd been angry enough to leave."

AJ's chest tightened with a strange emotion, and she remained impassive. "He, uh, took me over to Gloria's so I could get some sleep. She has apartments up over the bar."

A small, knowing smile turned up Rebekah's lips. "So you two _are_ lovers. I knew it!"

"No," AJ said so quickly that it sounded like a lie even to her own ears. "We're not, Rebekah. Really."

"Who's not what?" Klaus asked, returning to the ladies with a calmer demeanor.

"_Nothing_," AJ stressed, rolling her eyes. Rebekah still looked like she thought otherwise, and Klaus caught on to this strange expression. Instead of commenting, he nodded towards the door. "Can we leave now?"

* * *

><p>They'd arrived at Gloria's minutes later. The bar had been completely empty aside from the witch seated at a new table ornamented with gremoirs, bottles of herbs, and along with other questionable items AJ couldn't help but eye warily from her seat across the room. Bonnie being a witch was one thing—she knew and trusted Bonnie. However, she'd only just met this Gloria, and who knew what she did with her magic? Besides manipulating her lifespan, of course.<p>

Stefan had returned, and was now standing at the bar, avoiding meeting AJ's long stare. Beside him was Klaus, though he seemed more fervent and impatient to her. No one else seemed to notice, but then again, she supposed no one else regarded him akin to the way she did. The thought was perplexing and blush-inducing, but she was beginning to realize it was not one that'd soon leave her.

Rebekah had perched herself on the edge of Gloria's table, her legs crossed and her hands clasped over her knees regally. "So where is it?" she demanded, leaning down towards Gloria's face.

Gloria waved a dismissing hand in the air. "It doesn't work like that, doll. I get images." She looked off to the side, but her eyes were focused on something else, something not present in the room. There's a girl with her friends—"

"Yes, a dead girl with dead friends if I don't get my necklace back," Rebekah interjected peevishly.

AJ saw Stefan narrow his eyes, his mouth hardened into a thin, grim line. A lightbulb went off over her head in that instant, and she wanted to gape at him. A girl with her friends—_Elena. _That conclusion would never have entered her mind if it wasn't for his unusual expression. Her eyes clouded over with a memory from awhile back—Elena showing her a beautiful antique necklace that Stefan had given her, basically a token of his love. The necklace had looked so old, but she'd never thought it was _that_ old. She controlled herself and her now manically beating heart by digging her fingernails into her palms, leaving deep indentations behind. _This_ was why Stefan had always been so edgy, so impassive and yet imbued with unreadable emotions. He'd realized that Elena had something of value to the Originals.

Tuning back into the conversation, she heard Gloria speaking. "Yes, well, I'll have to dive back in to get the details," Gloria explained, growing annoyed.

"So dive," Klaus demanded, approaching Gloria from the bar area.

Gloria crossed her arms, however placidly. "I'll need more time." As Klaus braced his hands on her desk, she sighed lightly. "And _space_. Look—"she waved a hand, as if swatting him, "you're harshing my juju."

"We can wait," Klaus said, sounding like he'd rather do anything but.

Looking put out, Gloria shook her head. "I'm sure you can, but that's not what I asked." She met his icy stare levelly.

Pushing herself to her feet, AJ crossed the room to Klaus. Almost meekly, she put a hand on his arm. He tensed, an acknowledgement to her presence, but didn't move. "Klaus," she said quietly. "We should give her some space. It's what's best."

"Yeah," Stefan agreed, stepping up to where Rebekah was seated on the table. "Why don't we just come back later? I'm hungry, anyway." He looked at Klaus almost impishly. "I'll let you pick who we eat."

AJ wanted to hit Stefan. This was about _not _getting anyone hurt. She watched as a wicked look took over Klaus's features, and he shot a grin at Rebekah, who looked more than intrigued. Stefan began heading out to the street once more, and Rebekah slid off the desk to follow him. Klaus backed away from the table, letting AJ's arm fall back to her side. When he caught her disappointed expression, he put his thumb under her chin. "Love," he murmured. "Admittedly, I've grown quite hungry—"

AJ stepped away from him, her arms crossed over her chest."As in, one-human hungry? Or maybe two?" She inwardly cringed at the cruelness of her tone.

As she tried walking away, he caught her hand, pulling her close once more. There was something new in his eyes, something deeper than hunger and bloodlust. "This is who I am," he said, brushing some of the hair out of her eyes. She was surprised by the sudden tenderness. "This is what I am, and you know it. Maybe you should stay here with Gloria, or—"

"No," she said firmly. "I'm not going to stay behind while you all gorge yourself on innocent people. I refuse to."

He sighed deeply, looking down at their hands. It was a captivating sight, a new one; her lightly tanned skin against his fair pallor, intertwined delicately. He wasn't just holding on to her, but she was reciprocating, as well. Suddenly, her hand went icy cold. He looked up to her eyes, only to find them staring out one of the windows again, wide and disbelieving.

"AJ?" he said with concern, glancing between the window and her. Her hand started trembling. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She'd blanched, her face going a startling white, and blinked several times before focusing on Klaus again. "It was nothing," she said quickly, sounding breathless. "I'm going with you. I'm not staying behind. I don't care if you feed on someone or not—I'm not staying behind."

Klaus cast a wary glance outside again. "No," he said. "You aren't staying behind. Come on." He gently tugged her to the front door, on look out for anything that'd frightened her. Of course she wouldn't tell him, but he needed to figure it out. On the walk back to the warehouse, he'd kept her close to him as Stefan and Rebekah began compelling people, a crowd, really, to follow them back. He could feel her grow even more anxious beside him, shivering even as the day was warm. Putting an arm around her, he pulled her close to his body. She accepted, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked, trying to calm her shallow breathing.

It was a hallucination, she told herself firmly, clenching her teeth. Nothing more than a hallucination. It wasn't real. It _couldn't_ be; it was physically impossible. She released a shaky breath as they returned to the warehouse, actually grateful for being surrounded by vampires for once. That thought changed the instant those vampires began sinking their fangs into helpless humans.

She'd stepped away from Klaus the moment they'd returned, going to the truck to grab her sketchbook as a distraction. When she'd returned to them, she'd found nearly all of the humans drained dry, with each vampire finishing off those who remained. Even Klaus, with the veins bulging under his eyes, the sign of deep blood lust. Her vision faded in and out, her head growing dizzy as she stood. Resting a hand on the back of a vacant chair, she tried to gather her bearings. There was only one word that came to her mind—monsters. As much as she was appalled of thinking of them like that, she could find no other words to describe the extent of careless cruelty she witnessed.

Rebekah had perched herself upon a dark coffin, one hand braced behind her for support as she was posed regally, with her shoulders back and her head up, her legs resting in front of her. A slash of a scowl was her lips. "My girl's dead. I'm bored." The dull tone of her voice made AJ feel even woozier, and she wondered if she might faint. Though she'd become familiar with death over the summer, it wasn't a sight she welcomed in the least. From where she stood, off to the side, no one seemed to take any notice of her.

Klaus ignored Rebekah. Retracting his fangs, he pulled away from the nearly dead girl in his arms, pushing her to the floor. Blood dripped down his lips. "You weren't kidding about being hungry," he said to Stefan, watching as the other vampire drained the rest of his human.

Stefan, too, pulled away from the girl, breathing in and out shallowly with dark pleasure. With tracery veins in his eyes the color of bloody jewels, his green irises became luminous and almost animal-like. He regarded Klaus with a shrug. "It's been a long day."

Klaus smirked. "Try being related to her." He nodded in Rebekah's direction.

"You're being mean." Her glower was petulant, as was her voice. There was a pout on her lips now, superimposing the scowl. Stefan rolled his eyes and laughed, causing her to sit up in alarm. "And why are _you_ being mean? You used to love me."

"It's been ninety years Rebekah," Klaus said peevishly. "Give him a minute."

Rebekah looked upset. "Why are you taking his side?"

"Because, my dear sister, I feel pity for any man who doesn't give you what you want."

"Will you stop making me out to be a brat," she said as she grew more upset, her voice rising in pitch. "I am not a brat."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "A thousand years of life experience says otherwise," he said sardonically.

Stefan chuckled darkly, then looked pointedly at Klaus. "Oh you're no picnic, either. Yeah, I've only spent one summer with you and I feel like I want to blow my head off." Laughing quietly, Rebekah's spirits seemed to lift instantaneously. Stefan slowly moved to get up, grunting as he tossed the girl's dead body to the floor. It made a sickening _thunk, _making AJ flinch. She pinched her eyes shut, digging her nails into the chair's back. "I need to go," Stefan said as he stood, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

Rebekah watched him leave the room silently, perplexed. "Where's he going?"

"To write a name on a wall," Klaus answered, smirking. "It's a long story." His eyes drifted across the room in boredom until they rested on a white-faced AJ. He straightened immediately, wiping the blood from his lips. It only served to smear across his chin, giving him a more roguish look. In a second, he'd left the chair and went to her side. "AJ," he said quietly, placing a hand on her arm. She recoiled from his touch, her eyes snapping open with surprise.

"No—don't. Don't touch me." Taking in the hurt on his face, she immediately felt guilty. "You have blood on your hands, Klaus."

"I know I've killed, love, but it's my nature—the way I survive, and you know—"

"_No_," she stressed in clarification. "You _literally_ have blood on your hands."

Bringing his palms up to examine, Klaus saw she was right. He rubbed them off on his jeans, clearing them of even the smallest speck of blood.

Still sitting upon the coffin, Rebekah snorted at them. "What are you doing, Nik?"

Klaus gave her a sharp look. "Mind your own business, Rebekah. Go shopping. Go to a park. Do _something_."

"No," she declared. "Not until you tell me what's going on with the two of you. I mean, she's the _Warrior_. Why is she even here? If you're not going to—"she stopped, giving him a pointed look. "Then why bother keeping her around? And if you're lovers, why don't you just admit it?"

"Why don't you speak to me like I _am_ here?" AJ interjected caustically. "And we aren't lovers!"

Rebekah smiled cattily. "Not yet," she said in a sing-song tone. "But you will be."

"Rebekah, that's enough," Klaus said gruffly. "I told you not to speak to her like that."

"I speak to humans—whether they are the Warrior or not—how I like," Rebekah said snootily. "She is no different."

Klaus went rigid, his fiery gaze fixed on Rebekah with such intensity that AJ had to look away. There was a silence, and she suspected Rebekah couldn't hold his gaze either. When she looked back, she found that Rebekah was no longer there. She was alone with Klaus in what felt like the largest, loneliest place she'd ever been in. The warehouse was an assortment of grey; the towering ceilings were like voids—open, empty voids that made her feel small and trivial. Yet with Klaus beside her, and the heat of his body transferring into her skin, the smallest flame wavered in her chest. It was the oddest feeling—something new and arcane—and it sent a surge of butterflies through her stomach. Though the feelings from before were not easily forgotten.

There was another pause between them, then, "I'm sorry you had to see that." Klaus's tone was genuine, and he shifted beside her.

AJ bit her lip, looking down at the grey pavement. The dead girls' bodies were feet away from her, hidden behind furniture or splayed out carelessly on the cold floor. It made her feel sick all over again. How could they be so heartless? She shook her head in consternation, not meeting his eyes. "You don't have to kill them." Her tone was meek, but she straightened up with assertiveness, reluctantly meeting his deep blue eyes. "You know that you don't."

He stared at her in silence, his mouth grim. "I do know that I don't. However… it prevents me from giving in to other temptations."

Cocking an eyebrow, AJ studied him curiously. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head, his lips now white. "Nothing. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," she said lightly. "You'd be surprised by the things I can understand."

Rigid once more, he shifted again. It was obvious he was bothered by something—she'd never seen him so unmistakably uncomfortable before. His silence bore on.

"Klaus," she said, reaching out to grasp his hand. It was warm and rough; the contact sent exhilarated shivers down her spine. "What is it? What's wrong? I _can_ understand. Or even if I can't, I can accept it. So what is it?"

Shaking his head again, his features were abashed. "I don't think that you'd like to know, and I don't think that I'd like to tell you. I don't want to be like them—I _refuse_ to be like them."

Her eyebrows knitted together, and a cold feeling settled over her. "Them? Who's 'them'?" A flash of pained anger shone in his eyes, and she sucked in a silent gasp. "You mean Lucas—Lucas and Elijah. Don't you?"

A muscle flexed in his jaw as he ground his teeth together. He dropped her hand and backed away from her, letting his eyes drift over their dull surroundings.

"Klaus, please," she urged. "Please look at me. Talk to me. Why do you think you'd be like them? They hurt me, yes, but you haven't done that. I mean… you haven't. You won't."

"No, I won't," he said finally. "I swore to you I wouldn't."

"I know." The look in her eyes was soft, and she stepped towards him again. She reached out to grab his hand once more, slowly, holding it in both of hers as she brought it up to her lips, resting it against her chin to catch his eyes. Her heart began pounding wildly in her chest as she entered this new territory, bringing a flutter of emotions along with it. "Klaus, whatever it is you think you can't tell me, you _can_. And believe me when I say it's better if you do." She offered him a small smile.

He looked torn, and just a flicker of emotion passed over his features before he hid them. For a moment, she thought he'd retain his silence. When he chose to speak, his voice was soft. "This is different," he said, nodding at their hands. "It's very different than all the things I've grown accustomed to."

"You aren't used to being… touched," she inferred sadly.

His gaze fell to the floor. "No. But that's not all. There's this… this hunger. I don't know how Elijah managed it—"he broke off, making a pained noise. AJ rubbed his hands soothingly, stepping even closer to him. "I didn't mean to bring him up," he mended. "I just mean to say that I'm used to bloodlust, but…" he stopped again; an etched feeling of embarrassment and self-deprecation crossed his features. AJ's sympathy grew.

"But what?" she urged gently. "What is it? Why do you think you'll hurt me?"

He turned from her roughly, guarding himself. A wall rose between them; one she could detect immediately by the impassiveness overcoming his face. Her heart ached strangely, and she reached out to touch him only to reel her arm back. She'd felt like, ever since the night before, things between them had changed in some way. Certainly they did in some aspects, she thought, but it seemed unaffected in others. There was still something separating them, precluding them from connecting. The connection _was_ there—she wouldn't deny it. Her thoughts had consisted only of him since she'd woken that morning, and remained on him no matter how she tried to distract herself. Yet, there was something present at the moment, something that prohibited her from getting through to him the way she had before. She crossed the line last night, she knew. There was no going back from what she did, from what implications there might have been. Dare she delve deeper into this new territory so early into her exploration of it? Dare she try and push him into trusting her, fully and completely, without hesitation? It wasn't his nature. His nature was blood and death; things he thought that became him. They were part of his nature, yes, but it wasn't who he _was_. As much as those things bothered her, she wouldn't try and change that part of him. Truly, she wouldn't try to change him at all. It had to be his choice. But now, in this moment, she felt like she'd never been farther apart from him. Why did he fear he would harm her? Why was that causing this distance between them?

Staring at him in silent distress, she read the way he had frozen himself completely. It was the way he became when he was under the new duress of her companionship, she figured, because it happened often. Underneath the hard impassiveness in the angles of his face was a shimmer of what he was really feeling. There was a sort of pain there, and reluctance. Confounded, she pressed her lips together. Now was not the time to push him. But why did her heart throb when she considered leaving him to solitude? Could she comfort him without giving any impression of urging him into speaking his mind?

The heavy silence coerced her decision. Turning on her heel, she faced the square doorway leading to the SUV. At the last second, she was stopped and lingered to listen.

"Don't go," he said softly, but with strength. "AJ, I cannot discuss this now. But don't go."

She turned back to him, trying to hold back her curiosity. "Will you want to discuss it at some point?"

"Yes," he said after a moment's hesitation. His expression contradicted his words, though, as they were imbued with inner battle. "We'll need to talk about it. I… I want to."

AJ nodded, and looked down at the floor pensively. Glancing back up with newfound fervor, she said, "Wait here. There's something I want to show you." She turned back again to head towards the truck, where Klaus had returned her things from the room they'd stayed in. Walking quickly, she grew excited about her idea. Maybe it would mend things between them, or show him a different side of himself. Besides Death, how _did_ he see himself? He was pompous, of course; always cocky and confident. As things in the past proved, though, he had every right to be confident. A frown weighted her lips and her eyebrows furrowed together. But when one was so confident, didn't things tend to go wrong?

Shrugging off that thought the moment she reached the truck, she opened the door and reached over the leather seats for her backpack. Digging in it until she came to her sketchbook, she tucked it under her arm. She turned to head back to Klaus, both anxious and enthused.

She never took a step forward. Instead, she froze in place, an icy feeling pricking at her heart like a thousand icicles were prepared to plunge into it. Her eyes were wide and her breath had escaped her as her mouth gaped open. No, she thought numbly, no—it wasn't real. It couldn't be real. _It was impossible._ The moment her eyes fixed on his green ones, she screamed.

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><p><strong>Tell me what you think! Good, bad, or ugly, anything is appreciated. (-:<strong>


	10. Ghosts

**Disclaimer: I do not own the vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: Hot off the press, so I hope there aren't many mistakes. I wanted to get this to you guys ASAP! Also, WARNING. If you don't like abusive references, I'd like to warn you about this chapter. It gets back into AJ's past a little.**

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><p><strong>Ten <strong>

High and blood-curling, her scream cut through the silence of the warehouse like a butcher knife through flesh, ending abruptly as she panted for air. Anxiety pressed hard onto her chest, like a hundred pound weight was trying to crush her. Her heart throbbed as it charged at an unbelievable rate in her chest, and a near consuming surge of fear shot through her, weakening her knees.

His features were flawless. Those deep green eyes shining like gems, alit with a dark tenor she'd once known so well, years ago. Framed with heavy, dark lashes, they grew even more menacing. They looked her up and down hungrily; the sinister hunger mixed with fury that always came before the first blow, the first bruise or cut. Under the bright fluorescence illuminating the warehouse, his rich brown hair gleamed, its shine fresh and glossy. His lips were curled into a perturbing smirk, sending shudders through her body. It was so different than the last time she'd seen him; his body had been twisted, his eyes glazed with death, his face white.

No, she thought wretchedly, shrinking back until she felt the cold surface of the SUV press into her back. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't be here. Lucas—her abusive ex-boyfriend, returned to Mystic Falls and murdered by Klaus. _Lucas was dead. _

"It's odd, really," Lucas began without preamble. With amusement, he encroached upon the space she'd put between them. He lifted a hand to brush against the side of her face; she bit her lip as she trembled, drawing blood. The salty crimson trickled into her mouth, and she swallowed hard. "You always look so lovely when you're scared. The walls are down, and I can see you, the _real_ you."

AJ's breath hitched in her throat, and she fought back a whimper. She peered over his shoulder to find Klaus, and made a pained noise. He wasn't where he'd been last—he'd vanished from sight.

"Oh, I wouldn't look for the hybrid to help you," Lucas noted blithely. He grinned. "I'm afraid something else has caught his attention."

Pressing harder into the truck, AJ set her quivering jaw. She let out a shaky breath, gathering her bearings as she met Lucas's eyes steadily. "How is this possible? You were killed—I saw your body." She stumbled over her words, cringing at herself.

His grin turned lopsided—the crooked smile that used to send flutters through her stomach. She grimaced as he spoke. "Let's just say a friend of yours—Bonnie, I believe—opened a door. A door she can't shut." Lucas was now only inches away from her. He studied her skin, running a finger over its smoothness. "But that's not what's important right now, is it?"

"You tell me," she said in a wavering voice. It was one thing that he was a ghost—it was a complete other thing that he could _touch_ her. _Come on, AJ_, she thought to herself, feeling silly, _it's not real. You don't _fear. _Especially not him._ "You obviously came here for a reason. Just wait until Klaus gets back—"

Lucas cackled with laughter, cocking an eyebrow. "So you're having someone else step into your fights, now? Where's that gall I loved, huh? What happened to the AJ that could take a hit or two?"

"She learned that love wasn't abuse," she spat, feeling the flames of a long-dead fire begin to flicker to life once more in her chest, a loathing, defiantness. "And trust me, no one's stepping into any fight for me. I can take care of myself."

He grew more amused, peering down at her with intrigue. "There's that fire of yours." He leaned down to her, brushing his mouth against her ear. "I want to let you in on a little secret, A. You're the reason I'm here, you know. If it weren't for you—for the love we share—I wouldn't be able to cross the threshold of the door. _You_ brought me back."

Warm breath tickled her skin. She dug her fingernails into her palms, refusing to give him whatever reaction he hoped to achieve. "The only love we share is the delusion you've created in your mind. So you can go, now, because I hate you, Lucas. I know you weren't that person—the person I thought you were before you died. No, you're a sick monster. A sick, heartless monster." She ended with passionate fury, and her chest rose and fell with her anger. Ghost or whatever, she didn't care. He had no right to do this to her. No right.

It only took a moment for him to tap into his rage and react. Her body was pinned against the truck in an instant, his hands on her hips, pressing into her skin painfully. His eyes blazed with fire. "You do not speak to me like that. You remember the rules, A. You _respect_ me."

AJ laughed now, even through her slight quavering. She met his eyes defiantly and enunciated, "I respect no one. I don't follow the rules, Lucas. Whatever you're hoping to get here—it's useless. You're _dead_. You hardly even exist. You can't hurt me."

His fingers pressed harder into her skin, gouging her with his too-corporeal fingernails. "You're ignorant," he spat, his voice venomous. "Do you really think I can't hurt you? Want to test it out?" He raised an eyebrow for a brief moment before swiftly pulling her away from the truck and throwing her into a mess of cardboard boxes on his far left. His strength was shocking, and she found herself flying through the air until she hit the mass of boxes, scraping her arm and bruising her face as she tumbled to the floor. An instant later, he was picking her up by her hair, effortlessly tossing her face first into the cement wall. She tried catching herself with outstretched arms only to meet it with a shocking force; a splitting surge of pain went through her wrist, and stunned, she fell back to the ground once more. Lucas fumed with anger as he stood over her. "Do you still think I can't hurt you? Want me to show you some more tricks?" His voice rose until he was shouting at her, clenching his fists.

Cradling her wrist against her chest tenderly, AJ peered up at him; blood trickled from her nose and a shallow gash on the side of her face. Where he'd pulled her hair, her head ached. Her teeth ground painfully together as a confluence of memories flooded into her mind. Lucas finding out about his father's death, and beat her until she was bloody and bruised and broken on the floor, like she was nothing but some punching bag to him. Weeks later, he'd built up so much anger again that he took a bat to her ribcage, and then a while after that, things grew even worse. He'd loved her once, she knew. She'd loved him as well. He'd been everything to her. But then he'd decided to break her, and he never stopped. She was sick and tired of people like him—and vampires—being unchangeable. She was disgusted at herself at how weak she'd grown, just over the past few months. Her hopes had been shattered, but that didn't mean her strength had to go with it. If anything, she found she was stronger.

"Why are you doing this?" She demanded, her voice a sharp cut through the silence. "If you get to come back, why come back and do _this_?"

Lucas folded down into a crouch, his arms hanging over his knees almost carelessly. In his eyes, she could see the rage, the bent up anger facsimile to the way he looked at her years ago. There was something underneath the rage, slowly deteriorating it, breaking it apart until it was no more. "I didn't come here to hurt you," he said, sounding resigned and tired. His face tightened with regret as he looked her over, and he sighed. "I came here to warn you."

"No," she said through clenched teeth. "No—you don't get to do that. Not anymore. You can't hurt me one second and try to make up for it the next. I'm not letting you get away with that again. I'm not letting _anyone_ do that."

His eyes narrowed, but he kept his distance. "Today, you're just going to have to deal with it."

"I won't!" she shouted angrily, through the pain throbbing all over her body. "I don't want to deal with it anymore!"

Lucas stood, folding his arms over his chest and cursing. "There isn't time to screw around," he said peevishly. "I didn't mean to hurt you, so I apologize. It's just—the last time I saw you, I wasn't _me_. That hybrid—_he_ had me controlled like a puppet, making me say things, or do things. I'm not perfect, A. I know that." He looked down at her sadly, and her chest only tightened with anger. "I'm not that person he made me out to be. But I'm not this person anymore either. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just—you _do_ get that you're the reason I'm _dead_, don't you?"

AJ had prepared a retort, only now she was struck speechless. Blinking up at Lucas, now unconcerned about her injured wrist or the sting in her cheek, she pondered his words. Was she to blame for his untimely death? Was it really her fault? Klaus had killed him, but she had been the reason for it, the cause. And Klaus wouldn't have even known nor cared who Lucas was, were it not for her ties to him. Death by association with her had been the only sense in the senseless act. Could that really be her fault, though?

"I don't think that's fair," she said finally. "It's not like I wished for you to die, Lucas. Besides, you used to _hit_ me. You were abusive. You never would have been brought in to this mess if it weren't for your own actions."

Lucas seethed. "No, I never would have been brought into this mess if you hadn't befriended _vampires_ of all creatures! How could you be so stupid? Do you really think being around them is better than who I used to be? It's worse! They could kill you, A, and they will! They'll be the death of you, just like they were for me. Someone needs to talk some sense into you before that happens."

Snorting, AJ pushed herself to her wobbly feet, ignoring the pain shooting through her arm. She braced her good hand against the wall. "And you think _you_ can talk some sense into me? Do you really think you have any right to talk to me at all?"

He took a short step forward, getting in her face as a muscle in his jaw bulged. "I have every right to talk to you. Besides, I have to _warn_ you. Didn't you hear that, or did you choose to ignore it, as you do with anything that isn't about other people? You've always lived on the brink of life, A. Now is the time to step back and take care of yourself."

Laughter escaped her lips, and she found that she was taken over by it. "I've always lived on the brink of life, have I? Gee, Lucas, did you ever wonder _why_? Did you ever stop to think that maybe _you_ did this to me?" She grew more serious. "Maybe I should be thanking you. After all, fearlessness has its uses."

"You can tell yourself you're fearless all you like," he said, his tone quieter. "You were scared when you saw me, weren't you? That was real fear. And I have stopped to wonder why you are this way, A, and I get it. You feel alienated—and, yeah, I suppose you have every reason to, since there isn't another Warrior living. You don't feel like you belong with the rest of the human population, do you? You feel different, _inhuman_, out of place, and that's perfectly understandable. I think _that's_ why you act the way you do. I think—"

"_I_ think you're so dense, you can't even see things straight even after you've died," she countered bitterly. "That's sad. A ghost with no self-awareness? That's simply _tragic_."

Lucas scoffed, shaking his head. "You even deflect everything, still. Haven't you changed, AJ? Haven't you realized that you don't need to be tough all the time? Word was that you found people you could trust, that you were working on it. That you didn't have these walls up still. I guess I heard wrong." His voice had grown soft and saddened; not as if he pitied her, but as if her were disappointed. .

AJ stared at him intensely, but her thoughts were teeming. It was true that she weaved in and out of the walls she'd erected so long ago to keep other people at a distance. Things changed, and she changed with them, adapting in the only way she knew how to. There was Elijah first, and now, admittedly, there's _something_ with Klaus. It brought her walls down, alleviated them so that she no longer was exhausted at pushing them away, at hiding who she was and what she felt. But at her very core, she was still the same. There were some things she still never shared with either of them. There were things she would never tell them, no matter what. She was still fearless, yet now so attentive of fear. Bravery had never left her, but she'd let things go without speaking her mind, without stopping it in the way she should have, or _could_ have; the way she knew would be right in her heart. Her hand flitted up to Klaus's necklace—the sun pendant that was so cool on the surface, emanating a calmness into her body. She knew what made these strange changes within her. She knew that the fusing of her good and dark side had been a part of that, too. But what did that mean, exactly? Who did that make her? Were these changes for better or worse?

Closing her hand over the pendant, AJ refocused on Lucas, composed and calm. "Why are you here?" Without inflection, her voice sounded empty, morose.

Lucas straightened up immediately, looking relieved. He sighed lightly. "Like I've been telling you, I have a message—a warning. I've heard whispers, here and there, about what's coming for you. I need to tell you that—"he cut himself short as his eyes widened. He was looking behind her at something, and his mouth dropped open, as if to protest. A second later, a blur crossed AJ's vision. She blinked, finding Klaus holding Lucas up to the cement wall by his throat, his fingers pressing deeply into Lucas's skin. Klaus was fuming, his eyes ablaze with fury, and his body tense. Lucas simply looked annoyed.

"You do realize that I'm a _ghost_," he pointed out frankly. "I could just manifest somewhere else in the room."

Klaus squeezed Lucas's throat, choking him. His eyes narrowed, teeth clenched. "_You_," he spat lividly. "It is _you_ that plays these games. You convinced the girl I drank earlier to come back, did you? Nice trick. I have better ones, though." Klaus raised his hand to delve into Lucas's chest, but Lucas disappeared in a flash. Whipping around, Klaus growled.

Lucas reappeared several paces away from him, looking at AJ for help. "AJ," he said, a waver of panic inflecting his pitch. "I _need_ to tell you—"

"You need to stay the bloody hell away from her," Klaus said, stalking towards him. He was on Lucas in another second, looking like a lion cornering its prey. Lucas disappeared a second time, appearing on the other side of the room. Klaus swore. "I hate ghosts," he muttered, eyes piercing Lucas once more. "They're cowards."

"If you'd just _listen_ to me—"

"I think I gave you too easy of a death, back in Mystic Falls," Klaus said venomously. "I should have torn you limb from limb, let you watch as you bled—"

Galvanized, AJ stumbled toward Klaus. "Klaus!" she chastised. "Just let him talk for a second."

Both men looked at AJ, surprised. Klaus was livid. "Why should I allow him a thing like that? I'll show him what it's like to die twice. I find that to be much more ideal."

"Klaus," she implored. "He says he's heard about what's coming for me. The spirits. At least hear him out, for that."

Lucas shot her a dirty look. "What are you implying he can do _after_ that?"

"Please Klaus," AJ slowly reached him, and was surprised to find he was grasping her arm, looking at her with concern. It was as if her blatant injuries were now dawning on him.

"What's happened to you?" he demanded. "It looks as if someone—"he stopped, his eyes narrowing. Turning back to Lucas, he bared his fangs. Just as he was about to do God-knows-what, AJ tugged on his arm, holding him back.

"It doesn't matter what he did," she said quietly, not meeting his intense gaze. "We need to know what he knows."

"I don't think you understand," Klaus said, a biting undercurrent in his tone. "The boy you knew in Mystic Falls was not real. Lucas did not change. This is the same boy who hurt you, AJ. Who kicked you bloody, or beat you until you were unconscious." He caught her look of surprise. "Oh, trust me, I know all of his dirty little secrets. Every last one of them."

AJ stuttered, caught off guard. "No—you couldn't. If you did—"

"Why do you think I killed him, love?" Klaus's austere expression softened as he looked at her. The near-pity in his gaze made her stomach churn. "He nearly killed _you_," he spat, the anger returning immediately. "I should have made his death an everlasting torment. In fact, I shouldn't have killed him. Feeding him my blood would have fixed him up for another round of torture, easy."

Casting her gaze off to Lucas, she frowned. The sides of her lips twitched as she held back any appearance of tears. "It's terrible to make someone suffer through death, Klaus. You know that."

"And just what would you call what he did to you, that night on your birthday?"

Her eyes went back to Klaus, widening. So he truly did know. He knew what even Elijah didn't about the worst of all things; not just the blood and bruises and scrapes. The memory didn't have to come back to her; it'd been on the edge of her mind since Lucas appeared, balancing precariously like a feather urged forward by shifting wind. They'd just been celebrating her sixteenth birthday, with friends and family, so of course Lucas had been there. She'd adored him, forgiven him for hitting her just three nights before. He'd said he was sorry. He didn't mean to. But when he asked her for a moment of privacy together, she hadn't anticipated his anger with her. She definitely hadn't anticipated a knife. What an unforgettable birthday he'd made that. She'd left, not long after, for Mystic Falls.

"That was years ago," she whispered; she could barely bring herself from her reverie, from the pain of betrayal and the serrated edge of the knife.

Klaus set his jaw. "It doesn't matter how long ago it was. It was wrong. I tried making it right, but now I'll have to try again."

Lucas made a noise, a plaintive, pained noise. However, he didn't move from his place or speak. He seemed frozen by some sort of emotion.

"Klaus," she pleaded, transfixed to his deep blue eyes. "He's already dead. You can't really hurt him anymore. Just… allow me one thing."

He said nothing, but stared at her expectantly with a darkness concealed beneath his angular features.

AJ turned to Lucas, feeling her chest tighten. A hand went to her stomach, on the right side, where she still had a shiny scar. Proof of what a tragic love he'd had for her. Pulling her shoulders back, she canted her head. "Tell us what you know." She could feel Klaus go unnervingly rigid beside her, but ignored it. "What's coming after me?"

Lucas's Adams apple bobbed at his throat. It almost seemed that he'd disappear again, until he decidedly spoke. "More like who. I've heard bits and pieces of things—really, it's hard to make everything out since I rarely come across anyone. But when I have, they seem to know exactly what's going on, though not _why_. Which, I suppose, is probably important. I just haven't heard that part yet. Anyway, I mostly know that the spirits are strong—_really_ strong. If it weren't for how powerful that necklace of yours is, you'd already be possessed, doing God-knows-what. But I heard that they're looking for a way around it. A loophole, I guess. Apparently, they're getting close. That's why, when the door was opened, I wanted to come to you. I wanted to warn you. You're not safe, AJ. Not for long."

Blinking at him, AJ shook her head. "I don't get it. The _Lemurė_—they're trying to find a way around this protection amulet? Is that possible?" She turned to Klaus.

His lips were pressed tightly together, turning a bloodless white. "You're amulet is the strongest and oldest of its kind. I highly doubt any spirit can find a way around it, no matter what knowledge they may possess or seek."

Lucas's eyes narrowed. "Really? What about the whole, 'This pertains to your safety," he mimicked Klaus's accent, "'I will not dismiss anything, however big or small, that may affect your well-being.' What about _that?_ Does her well-being not concern you anymore? Are you really that confident in yourself? Think about how you'd feel if I'm right."

"How do you know about that?" AJ demanded. Her face whitened, and her chest fluttered.

Rolling his eyes, Lucas said, "I've got more than enough time on my hands. I've watched you." His challenging eyes flicked back to Klaus. "I really think you should take this more seriously, if you're actually going to keep her safe."

It took less than a second for Klaus to move directly in front of Lucas. Though he held back from striking the ghost, he made it very clear that he wanted to. "The Original Witch herself made that amulet. There is no loophole. Besides, I will be by her side at all times. Unlike you, I will let no harm come to her. Did _you_ care about her well-being, when you were wedging a knife into her stomach? Did you care when you beat her bloody and senseless? What about that time—"

"Stop!" AJ cried, pushing the two men apart. She shot Klaus a reproachful look. "Stop it. I don't want to hear about that, Klaus. I can't." She frowned at Lucas. "Do you really think that they could find a way around it? Does it really sound like a possibility?"

"Yes," Lucas said with a wavering confidence. "It does. They seem bent on obtaining… your body. From what I've heard, you're the only person on this planet they can use. Even the doppelganger—"

"_Don't_," AJ said plaintively, giving him her darkest look. "I don't want to hear about that, either. It's too painful." A nervous feeling blossomed in her chest along with a baffling sense of guilt, and she didn't dare look at Klaus. Did he buy her words, her act? Did she sound anguished, or did she not play it up enough? Lucas nearly brought up Elena, about how she was _alive_, and not dead like Klaus thought. That was the one thing she'd lied to him about, and would still lie to him about, no matter what. Elena was her best friend. She'd give anything to ensure Elena's safety. Swallowing hard, she tried her best to look mournful. But she could feel Klaus's gaze piercing her. "I already know they need a powerful supernatural being for their revenge-plot thing. That's me, and only me. Is there anything else you know?"

Lucas's face tightens with reluctance. A sad sentiment softens his gem-green eyes. "There is one more thing…"

Shifting on her feet, she felt a dreadful feeling rest on her shoulders like ten-pound weights. "What? What is it?"

"When I met you—I didn't know—I mean, there was no _way_ I could have known—its just—"

"Complete sentences," AJ interjected flatly.

Lucas cleared his throat, and nodded. "I'm sorry. It's just, well you've only just learned about your parents, that you're Alexandra Jaeger, not AJ Echo. I know this shouldn't come from me."

"Lucas," she enunciated his name with a twinge of menace. "Tell me what it is now, or I'll lose my patience with you. What shouldn't come from you?"

He sighed deeply, averting his eyes to his shoes. The same shoes he died in. She pushed away that thought. "AJ, it's your parents."

"Robert and Laura? What about them?"

He shook his head in consternation. "Your real parents. The biological ones. I don't know how to tell you this, but—you can't find them."

Eyebrows pulled together in confusion, she blinked at him again. "What are you talking about? I mean, I probably should've taken the opportunity to use Gloria's laptop to search for them, but something didn't feel right. It's not like I'm going to keep putting it off though. Just until things settle, until I feel like I—"

"AJ," he implored sadly. "Please, stop. It'll be easier if you just let me say it. You know how I said that I _heard_ about all these things? About the spirits and what they're doing?"

Slowly, she nodded. She wasn't sure how it was possible, but it seemed that Klaus was even tenser beside her.

Lucas continued quietly. "I didn't hear them from just anyone—I mean, I've been pretty much alone, watching over you. But I'm not the only one watching over you."

A terribly cold shiver went up her spine. "What are you talking about? Who else is… watching over me?" Even as she spoke, the pieces were clicking together inside her head. Her eyesight faded to black on the edges as she took deep breaths, trying to fight it. She could feel Klaus's hands around her waist, holding her up and close to him. Still, she managed to meet Lucas's eyes as tears pricked in her own.

"Your parents, A." The words were so faint that she'd barely heard him speak. "You're parents—they've always been with you. Making sure you were safe."

AJ felt a deep, serrated pain tear through her chest, and she immediately knew it was what a broken heart felt like. A sob escaped her lips before she could help it, and she gave in to her weak muscles, wanting to simply fall to the floor. Klaus held her close, but she barely registered it. All she could think of was her parents—her true, biological parents who she'd planned to search for were already gone. It was too late. They were dead. A sudden, shocking rage at Elijah erupted in her, and she quickly quelled it, lulled back into the empty, lost, and pained awareness of self. As Klaus held her, he stared intensely at Lucas.

"Leave," he growled, scowling at the boy.

Lucas shook his head, his sad eyes on AJ. "Not yet. She wouldn't want me to leave yet."

Klaus nearly scoffed. "She didn't want you here in the first place."

"No," Lucas reasoned. "She doesn't know _how_ yet. She'll want to. When she absorbs it, she'll want to."

"He's right," AJ said, her voice gravelly. She cleared her throat, collected her bearings, and put on her brave face. Wiping away escaped tears, she found her strength. She met Lucas's eyes without hesitance. "How did it happen? Why—why aren't they here, now?"

"The things coming after you," he answered quietly. "They… well, they did it."

"They killed my parents?" She felt as if a bolt of electricity hit her, vaporizing any lasting attempts to look unfazed, unaffected.

Lucas's frown was deep. "Yes. They didn't really tell me much—just that. And… well, they tried coming here, for you, to warn you themselves. They didn't want me to. But something prevented them—they couldn't cross the threshold. So they wanted me to."

Her thoughts were teeming, but she forced herself to focus. "What could have prevented them? I mean, why couldn't they come?"

Lucas opened his mouth in reply, but suddenly he flickered, like a candle might. When he did, repeatedly, AJ could see right through him, could see the back of the truck he stood in front of.

"Lucas?"

He shook his head, eyes wide. "No, no, _no!_" He cried, looking around as if he could see things they couldn't. His panicked eyes found AJ's. "AJ, I still need to tell you—"And just like a candle, he flickered until he was gone.

AJ felt frozen, staring at the spot he'd only just occupied when she finally acknowledged Klaus's firm grip on her. She looked up at him, baffled and upset. "What just happened? Where'd he go?"

Klaus shook his head, tearing his gaze away from the empty void. "You should sit. And you need to drink some of my blood—you're injured." He tried leading her over to an empty chair, but she wrenched herself from his grasp, spinning on him.

"Did you know, Klaus?" Her arms were folded over her chest, and her eyes were guarded.

"Did I know what?"

"About my parents—did you know they were dead? Did you tell me about them just so I'd eventually find out they were killed?" She could hear the accusation in her own voice, the blatant distrust, but held his gaze. There was only so much she could handle right now, and Klaus lying to her was not one of them.

Klaus almost looked taken aback. It was quickly covered up by a scowl. "Why would I do that? Do you really think I would? I'm as surprised as you are about this."

"That's funny," she said, clenching her fists to keep her anger from getting the better of her. She tried being calm, but it had a twinge of indignation to it. "Because you tried to get Lucas to leave, you didn't take the whole thing serious in the first place. I'm just trying to get things straight."

He was still for several minutes, watching her with indifferent eyes. AJ felt a nervous squirm in her stomach, but kept her head up.

"Why didn't you let him say anything about the doppelganger?" Klaus asked suddenly. "Elena? Pardon me for wondering, but it rather seemed that you were almost afraid. I'd like to get things straight as well."

AJ could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and she looked away from him. Settling into a chair, she shook her head, abashed. "I'm sorry," she said, resigned. "I just—after thinking they were alive, that I could maybe meet them, I just don't feel right anymore. I feel like everything's wrong."

"What's wrong?" It was Rebekah's distinctive voice. The Original slowly strolled into the room, making AJ cringe. She looked down at her hands, putting in a studious effort to block everything out. "Well, what is it?" Rebekah pressed, passing by Klaus with curious eyes. She looked at AJ. "Did my brother hurt your feelings, AJ? He can be capricious, but he always figures out what he wants again. You shouldn't worry."

AJ clenched her teeth, her efforts wasted.

"I thought I told you to go away, Rebekah," Klaus groaned.

She raised a presiding eyebrow. "Yes, well, that was when Stefan was away, too. Now that he's returned, I see no need to keep away. Besides, you should go check on Gloria. I don't want to keep waiting, and maybe she's finished." She turned, then, and headed in the direction of the caskets.

Klaus looked extremely peeved, but seemed to consider her suggestion. "AJ," he said. "Don't leave the warehouse. As long as my sister's around, you'll be safe. I'll only be a moment." With that, he vanished from sight.

Curious, AJ buried her feelings deep and stood to follow Rebekah. She couldn't find it in her to dwell on what just happened without Klaus, so she decided it could wait until later. A strange emotion now welled up in her stomach, and she was certain it had something to do with Stefan. Where'd he go for so long?

She held back as Rebekah made her attempt to be flirtatious, hiding behind some metal carts. It wasn't that she wanted to spy on them, but she was certain something was off. If Stefan had her back, which she was almost certain he did, then she had his.

Stefan was just about to open one of the coffins when Rebekah said, "You're back," and gave him a dazzling smile. "Nik went to check on the witch."

Stefan straightened up immediately, looking surprised.

"Dreary, isn't it?" Rebekah continued, walking closer to him. "The family cargo."

He pressed his lips together, scanning his eyes over the coffins. "Why don't you undagger them?"

"Because he would hunt me down and kill me," Rebekah said simply, but there was a tinge of sadness in her voice. "He's a vindictive little bastard, my brother."

"But you still care about him," Stefan pointed out lightly. "Why?"

Rebekah sighed. "Well, I hated him for a long time. It was exhausting." She walked around him and sat on one of the smooth cases, crossing her legs.

Stefan joined her. "You know," he said. "When I met you two, you were both on the run." AJ's eyebrows rose and she froze in place. They were on the run? _Klaus_ was on the run? From _what? _

Rebekah gave him a small, guarded smile. "Also exhausting."

Although he smiled back, Stefan seemed to hesitate before asking, "Who were you running from?"

AJ held her breath, praying dearly that Klaus wouldn't come back. Not now.

"What do you mean?" Rebekah asked, diverting the question.

"The last night I saw you," Stefan clarified, "there was a man looking for you. You both seemed afraid. I just… I wouldn't think Klaus would be afraid of anybody."

Rebekah looked uneasy. "No one in this world is truly fearless, Stefan. Not even Nicklaus."

"Then who was that man?"

Rebekah looked away from him, and then stood abruptly. "I can't. Please, if Nik knew we were talking about this, he'd flip."

Stefan put a reassuring hand on her arm, standing with her. "No, no, I'm sorry," he said gently. "Just forget I asked."

AJ's stomach churned as she saw how close they were, only a few inches away from each other. What was Stefan doing?

"Nik told me about the girl you loved," Rebekah said quietly. "The one that died. He also told me that you're only with him because he saved your brother."

Stefan pressed his lips together, reluctant. "That's true."

She smiled at him. "I think he secretly admires that about you. The way you'd sacrifice anything for family. Don't tell him I told you that," she whispered, getting him to smile back.

"You're secret is safe with me," he said. AJ could hear the flirting, recognized it from hearing him talk to Elena. It felt like bees were swarming in her head; something wasn't right. Rebekah wasn't right.

Stefan moved to leave, but Rebekah pulled him back to her, kissing him. AJ looked away, feeling utterly embarrassed that she was curious enough to watch _this_. But she'd heard valuable information, though they left many things unanswered. Who had Klaus been running from? Is he still running from that person?

She could hear Rebekah speak again, and nearly pitied the vampire.

"Do you think you'll ever love anyone like you loved that girl?" she asked softly.

There was a pause. "One day, maybe," Stefan said.

AJ moved to leave them, but then she froze as fear crept over her. She finally figured out why Stefan was doing this—he was playing Rebekah, of course—but, apparently, not well enough.

"I can always tell when you're lying, Stefan," Rebekah said icily.

"What?" Stefan began, perplexed.

"Don't bother," Rebekah removed herself from him. "Your kiss already gave you away."

AJ flinched, then, when her eyes landed on Klaus, walking rapidly towards her. "Gloria's gone. She's cleared out. We need to find a new witch immediately." He'd walked up to AJ, and looked over at Stefan and Rebekah, who were now turned towards her. Stopping, he became suspicious. "What's going on?"

"Something's wrong," Rebekah said, a grave look on her face. "He was asking about Mikael. And your little Warrior was a bit too curious to hear about it, too."

AJ's eyes widened. _Mikael? _The person they'd been running from was Mikael, their father? She could feel Klaus's piercing gaze on her until it moved to Stefan. He was just as uneasy as AJ.

"He's not with us, Nik," Rebekah said. "I can sense it. And I don't think she is either."

"She's wrong," Stefan insisted. "Klaus—"

Within a second, Klaus launched himself at Stefan. AJ's hands flew over her mouth as she heard the definite _crack_ of a neck snapping, and watched as Stefan's body slumped to the ground. She backed away, her fight or flight instincts kicking in. In a second, Rebekah had her shoved against a wall.

"Don't," Klaus said through clenched teeth, standing before Rebekah before the vampire could sink her fangs into AJ's flesh. "Release her."

Rebekah's eyes narrowed, but she retracted her fangs and backed away. "She's been lying to us, Nik. There's no use in keeping her around anymore."

"Rebekah. Load up the truck. Put Stefan in it," Klaus directed. His eyes pierced AJ. "I will deal with her."

AJ pressed her back harder into the cement, as if somehow it'd disappear and she could get away. The injured wrist that he'd planned to heal ached, and the gash on her cheek stung terribly. His anger emanated off him in waves, and imbued her with certain fear. This wasn't the Klaus she'd grown used to. No, he'd disappeared the moment he'd learned of her treachery. Who was it, then, that stood before her?

"Klaus—"she began.

"Quiet," he snapped. His blue eyes seemed to blaze, scorching her. "It's going to be a long ride. Plenty of time for a chat."

She shivered. He didn't have to say anymore. She knew she was doomed.

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><p><strong>A <strong>_**lot**_** happened in this chapter! What did you think? (-:**


	11. Treachery

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Sorry it's been some time, but they definitely help me get back on track! I absolutely love my reviewers . (-:**

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><p><strong>Eleven<strong>

Being in the back of a stuffy, dwarf semi-truck with a wall of coffins on either side of her was without a doubt the last place AJ wanted to be. The coffins rattled as the semi persisted on, and when the occasional pothole was rolled over they'd give a jerk, making her newfound fear of being crushed to death send her sprawling for a hold somewhere safer. Although, there really was no safe place for her to hide. Not with her company so hostile, for reasons she admittedly understood. Deceit and treachery were perhaps one of the main reasons for crimes of passion. She found herself wondering if he'd allow her to die in such a horrifically bizarre way without so much as looking at her. No, he probably wouldn't want to get blood on any of the coffins. It'd be too much to clean up, and maybe a little disrespectful.

Klaus stared intensely down at Stefan's slumped body, his eyes never leaving the young vampire's. The sight made AJ's stomach churn in the most unpleasant way. Every time Stefan would heal and become partly conscious, Klaus would immediately snap his neck again, with a snarl of rage on his face. She'd heard a lot of things—flesh being torn off of bone as a vampire got a little _too_ into the kill, the dying wails of victims of the ripper Stefan, what it sounded like when fingers breached the flesh, delving deep into someone's chest to tear the pumping heart out of a body that sometimes still seemed to give an extra beat—but she'd never heard a sound quite so final as the crunching, snapping, severing of breaking bones in Stefan's neck. Of course, it wouldn't actually kill him. But he did look quite dead.

From her place closer to the back of the truck, she kept a firm hold on the shelf to her right so that her unsteady legs wouldn't slide out from under her, while keeping her injured wrist close to her body. A shiver went up her spine; she could've sworn that the occupied coffin beside her was emanating cold air, making her teeth slightly chatter. She watched Klaus cautiously; the way he was completely motionless, the burning loathing and betrayal hidden in his eyes. It was like a stranger had risen up and took his place, leaving AJ confounded. Of course, she knew this was the old Klaus. The bloodthirsty, immoral monster he once was. But there was still this new Klaus, _her _Klaus, dare she call it that, and she wanted to reach out to him. She wanted that Klaus back.

Several times already, she'd whispered his name, praying that he might understand, might reassert his geniality towards her. He always chose to remain concentrated on Stefan and his other thoughts.

Now, gripping the shelf as if her life depended on it, she claimed her valiant self and looked at his deep blue eyes. The silence had become suffocating, and it needed to end. "Klaus," she said quietly, louder than a whisper. He gave no response. "Klaus," she repeated. "Just—please look at me. Can't we talk about this? You have to understand that—"She broke off. When he appeared in front of her, his eyes as scorching as ever, she frantically tried backing up, only to earn herself a painful blow to the spine as the truck lurched again.

"I have to understand what?" Klaus growled. "That you didn't hesitate to lie to me even after you said I could trust you? Stefan is one thing. You—"he stopped and shook his head, his teeth clenched. "There is nothing to understand."

"Klaus, please!" she begged. "I've told you the truth about everything—I swear to you, I have! It's just this one thing I couldn't tell you. Just _one_ thing."

"The most important thing!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the wall. "Do you really think I can't put two and two together, and realize that she's alive? Honestly, do you think I care about anything else other than that? If you do, that's _pathetic_."

AJ's eyes widened and her heart sank to her shoes. "Klaus—"her voice was hoarse in a whisper, "she's my best friend. She's the only family I have left. Please, try to understand."

"I trusted you. What I understand is that you are perhaps more deceiving and treacherous than even Katerina herself."

His words were like a blow to her lungs, as she felt her breath escape her. Her hand flitted up to his sun pendant still resting at the base of her throat, gripping it tightly. Following her movements, his eyes seemed to soften. The smoldering fire within seemed to cool, for just a second, before they were shrouded and unreadable.

"Like I said," he said bitingly. "Deceitful."

He turned, but she caught his arm. Through the thin fabric, she could feel his warmth through the cold she'd endured the past several hours. This would have been when she'd have welcomed it, had wanted to move a little closer to him. But his eyes were even hotter than his skin, and it burned hers to meet them. "I trust _you_, Klaus. I really do. And I don't think you believe that—that I've been deceiving you this whole time. I haven't been, and I think you know that. And you were right, you know. About this—"she lifted the sun pendant. "It makes me feel safe. When I don't have it on, I don't even feel right—I don't feel like me. It's not the magic in the necklace that makes me feel this way. It's you. You make me feel safe. You make me feel… like _me_. So please, Klaus, just please try to understand. I was protecting Elena. I wasn't trying to lose your trust. That's the last thing I want to do."

Klaus stared at her. Her nerves sparked with unease. Was he completely lost to her? Would he never forgive her for this? She'd been so close to reaching him, to getting close to him. She even thought that maybe she did, that night at Gloria's. He cared for her, she knew. But then again, he'd also cared for Rebekah, his own sister, and he'd left her in one of these coffins for ninety years for simply wanting to go separate ways. Rebekah hadn't lied to him, the way she had, but he'd still been hurt. AJ betrayed his trust, and she had to imagine he was hurt again. Would he let her make up for that? Or would he do something to her much worse than he did to Rebekah?

"You should save your energy," he said finally, briskly. "I imagine Elijah will want to heal you when you return."

AJ bit her lip, feeling her hope crumble, but clutched onto him still. As long as she was still breathing, she could hope. No matter what. "No—Klaus, I want _you_ to heal me. Klaus please—I—I don't want to lose you. Not you. I don't think I could bear it. I've finally gotten through to you, to—"

"Gotten _through_ to me? What's that supposed to mean?" He was enraged. "Was that what this was all about? So you could simply get _through_ to me? What, to my humanity? I hate to break it to you darling, but _I have none._"

"I don't believe you!" she shouted with more passion than she ever had before. "You _have_ humanity! You _care_, Klaus. I know you do!"

His lips pulled back into a snarl. He enunciated each word. "You know _nothing_. What you've seen isn't my concern for _you_, personally. You are the Warrior, AJ. You serve other purposes than to be used at the sacrifice. What's pathetic is that you can't even realize that."

"Klaus," she implored.

"_Do not speak_! You'll be much less useful if I kill you, and believe me, I'm getting very close to doing just that."

Before he turned again, his eyes flashed down to the pendant, and an abstruse look crossed his face. Within a millisecond, it'd disappeared. He left her, leaving her hand outstretched for nothing. Languidly, it fell to her side.

AJ pinched her eyes shut, breathing gruffly. Could what he said be true? Did he really never care for her, personally? How could he not feel as miserable as she did? But he did, didn't he? She couldn't tell if his misery was because of her, or because he'd found out about Elena. Perhaps both, or simply the latter. She wished dearly that it was for her.

An hour passed. Her legs were growing weary and weak from standing in one position for so long. Her eyes hadn't left the pendant resting at the base of her throat, giving a beautiful shine even in the dimness of the truck. Something about it kept tugging at her mind, willing her to think deeper, but she only ever revisited the night Klaus had given it to her. When he'd saved her life and pulled her into his arms, brushing her hair tenderly. It'd almost seemed like something done without conscious volition, like he hadn't realized he'd been doing it. Every night since then, things had gotten better. She trusted him. No matter what he said, she still trusted him.

"Klaus," she spoke, her voice nearly void of emotion. She looked up to see he was still completely enraged, but she was unfazed.

"I told you, do _not_—"

"The spirits," she interrupted. "The _Lemurė. _Do you think that, once they found me, they've been following me? To see if I'd remove the necklace?"

Klaus's visage was blank with fury until realization dawned on him. He gave her a dark look. "Don't even think about it."

Within a second, she yanked the necklace up over her head, only to have Klaus force it back around her neck. She cried in pain when he gripped both of her hands and could feel the shattered bones in the broken wrist shift. Klaus immediately eased up, and she held her hand to her chest.

The sides of her lips pulled up into a sad smile. "You do care. Or else you wouldn't have done that. You would have let me see if they'd come for me."

Klaus was very still. Even as the truck shifted to a complete stop, he didn't move. A moment later, he turned his head, and AJ could imagine Rebekah was saying something to him. A wicked smile appeared on his face.

"I suggest you get comfortable," he said to AJ darkly on his way back to a partially conscious Stefan. "We're going to be here for a while."

With his senses returning to him more than they had in the past twenty-four hours, Stefan blinked around, disoriented. Then he sat up, startled, his breathing shallow. When his eyes locked on AJ's, he felt lightheaded. That's when he saw Klaus.

"Just give me a chance to explain myself—_ourselves_—okay?" Stefan said, glancing sidelong at AJ.

Klaus gave him a disarming smile, his temperament completely flipped from what it had been with AJ. There was still a certain darkness about it. "Oh, there's no need. AJ's given all the explanation that I care to hear."

He crossed to the back of the truck, standing beside AJ. She made no move to step away from him, blatantly displaying this with her temerity. After glaring at her, he reached down and lifted up the door.

Sunlight poured into the dimly lit truck, making her shield her eyes from the sting. But she didn't miss the dark smile on Klaus's face or Stefan's apprehension.

"Welcome back home to Mystic Falls, Stefan."

Underneath Stefan's guarded mask, AJ could see the horror he felt. And he didn't yet know how bad things really were. "Stefan," she began quickly. "He knows—Klaus knows—"

Klaus had snapped Stefan's neck not a moment later, letting his body fall like deadweight to the ground. There was a slash of a scowl on Klaus's face. "You'll ruin all the fun," he tsked. Then he crossed back to the end of the truck and jumped off to the pavement. Rebekah appeared, her arms crossed, a steady glare sharpening her delicate features. It was settled on AJ.

"What are you going to do with her, Nik?" she queried, leering at AJ. "I will not babysit her. Not after what she's done."

AJ bit the inside of her lip as she stood at the edge of the truck. "Klaus. Don't do this. Please don't do this. It isn't you!—not anymore. Just… give me a chance." Her hazel eyes, flecked with gold that made them glitter, were imploring. She looked so innocent in that moment, so sweet and young.

"Do what you like," he said to Rebekah, turning without another glance in AJ's direction. "She's all yours."

AJ moved to go after him, but was hit with a force so devastating, she was knocked back to the far wall of the truck. The vigor with which she was hit rattled through her bones, jumbled her thoughts, spotted her vision. Then all went black, and she succumbed to a void of nothing.

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><p>Starbursts of pink and blue erupted in the blackness, sending sprays of color out in spirals. A coolness whispered over AJ's cheeks, caught a strand of hair and tickled her nose. She was aware that her eyes were still closed—the lids felt so heavy. She felt as if she'd slept for days on end, but weariness only grew as time passed. A hue of pinkish-white appeared in the blackness, superimposed over the starbursts. She was vaguely aware of garbling speech, drifting into her ears. Then all came back to her, in a tidal wave of memories.<p>

Klaus, turning his back on her. Leaving her to his bloodthirsty sister. Heading to kill Elena. Probably already killed Elena. Something happened to Stefan—his neck had been twisted again. Back in Mystic Falls. They were back in Mystic Falls.

And Rebekah's annoyingly pitched voice was whining in her ears.

"Oh, would you get up already? I don't have all day to sit around and wait for you to make your dramatic wakening, now do I? It was hardly much of a shove at all." Pause. "Get _up! _I swear, just because you're the Warrior, doesn't make you a bloody pre-Madonna!"

Sputtering for air, AJ bolted upright. Crickets chirped rhythmically in the night, briefly making her believe she was back in Tennessee, that night when Klaus had Stefan tear apart two girls. She was immediately met with Rebekah's elegant features, which disproved the memory. Although, the scowl on her lips ruined any affect of the vampire's beauty whatsoever. But the glittering stars added as a backdrop, nonetheless.

"_Finally_," she said, examining her pink nails with boredom. "And here I thought you'd remain unconscious the entire night. You are so like my brother. All with the dramatic flair and such."

"Rebekah," AJ croaked out, glancing around. "Where's Stefan? What's going on?"

Rebekah huffed impatiently. "Stefan woke a while ago. He went to save his precious girlfriend." She said the words as if they were the dirtiest things to have ever left her tongue. "That's where I imagine you'll be heading as well."

The truck was, indeed, void of Stefan. As AJ squinted up at Rebekah, the other girl's hair glowing like actual silver in the moonlight, she wondered if the effects of whatever had happened to her hadn't worn off yet. The moon actually looked a little purple.

"What did you do to me? What happened?"

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Oh, it was hardly anything. I pushed you. You hit the wall."

She remembered now. Something had come at her—Rebekah—and the impact she'd made with the wall had been nearly bone-shattering. Feeling her limbs for any damage, she was surprised when all seemed fine. Even her wrist, which had been injured from when Lucas threw her, no longer hurt. Except there was the tedious presence of a dull throbbing in her head. "Why am I not… broken? I remember it hurting… _everything _hurting…"

"Are you that dense? I gave you my _blood_ of course. How else would you heal so quickly?"

AJ's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "_Your_ blood?" She gagged and sat up so that her legs dangled off the side of the truck in case she heaved. That would explain the unpleasant metal taste in her mouth that clung to her taste buds in a horrifically sludgy way. "Why would you do _that_?"

Rebekah glowered, her lips pursed in a frown. "Don't seem so ungrateful. Nik bought it."

"What are you talking about?" _I think I'm dead. Yes. Yes, I simply have to be dead. No way, in her right mind, would Rebekah give me her _blood. _It defies so many laws. Wait—she doesn't even have a right mind. Oh God, what has she done to me…_

"My God, you're dumber than I thought. Nik _bought_ it. He thinks I'm keeping you here, or whatever. Now hurry along. He went inside the school." Rebekah now had a nail file pulled out, and was studiously avoiding AJ's baffled gaze as she shaped her nails to perfection.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Why are you still _here?_ You didn't actually buy his act, did you? The whole 'You'll be much less useful if I kill you, and believe me, I'm getting very close to that.' I heard your entire conversation. And I saw your interaction in Chicago. I may not like you, but my brother does. So go on. Get to the school. But don't expect my help after this."

AJ stared at Rebekah, trying to make sense of the situation. The Original was helping her. She wanted AJ to go to Klaus… but why? What was in it for her? She dreaded the answer to that question. Instead of asking, she pushed herself down to the pavement, which seemed to crumble and crack at her feet, and slowly made her way to the school. The wavering yellow lines in the middle of the road that seemed to become three-dimensional were proof of her still injured head. Or something. But she continued on, and as she neared the school, the monsters in the sky and floating cars returned to normal.

The school was before her, and the sight nearly made her weak with relief. She never thought she'd see the dreadful thing again, yet the very sight filled her with hope so great, she knew it couldn't be crushed.

Until she realized that Klaus was in there. With Elena. And Stefan, now too. Nothing good could come of that. She trudged her way to the doors, hurrying as quickly as she could. It was surprising, that they were left open. Did school even start yet? What day was it?

Where was Elena?

Straightening out her thoughts, she realized that standing in the main lobby would do nothing. Why did her head hurt so much? Why couldn't she think straight?

Elena. Focus on Elena.

Footfalls in the hallway were making their way towards AJ. She turned to see Bonnie and Matt talking amicably with each other. They froze when they saw AJ.

"Oh my God," Bonnie whispered, holding a hand to her heart. "AJ? AJ—it's you!" She ran at her friend, arms wide and opening. AJ let herself be pulled into the hug, but couldn't quite grasp what had happened. It was Bonnie. She hadn't seen Bonnie in some time. Wait—she hadn't seen Bonnie in a _very_ long time.

"Bonnie," she said, clutching her friend. "I've missed you so much, I mean—no. No, stop." She pulled away from Bonnie, squinting around. "Where are you headed?" She looked between her and Matt.

"The gym," Matt answered, looking shocked. "We were just headed back to the gym. Elena said she'd be there."

Elena.

"We have to go!" AJ shouted, spinning on her heel. She didn't wait for the others. It seemed unnecessary. Somehow, they managed to get ahead of her. The doors to the gym were before them, and Bonnie pushed them open. AJ stepped through behind her and Matt, gasping.

Yes, Elena was here. And so was Klaus. Two students—she couldn't recall their names—stood beside them. The girl had her leg raised into the air.

"Bonnie, Matt, go!" Elena cried, seeing her two friends. When AJ stepped out from behind them, she gasped.

There was no time to respond. Klaus was behind Bonnie in a second. "I was wondering when you'd show up," he said to her blithely. "Now we can get started." He looked past her, to the other two students. "Dana, why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight." His head turned to AJ, and he scowled at her. "I see you've managed to make it. Funny. I thought you'd be indisposed for quite some time, from what Rebekah did to you."

"Klaus, listen to me—"

He settled a glare back on Bonnie. "I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive."

Bonnie's eyes were wide. They flicked away from AJ, to Klaus. "That's right," she said, her voice thin. "If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"Oh, there's no need for blaming, love. Just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects. And since you caused the problem, I'm going to have you find the fix."

As he finished, the doors behind them opened again.

At the sight of Rebekah, AJ flinched. Why did Rebekah heal her? Klaus seems so far gone.

Why did it feel like screws were being driven into her brain, slowly?

"Get off of me!" Tyler said, scowling. Rebekah held him tightly, dragging him to Klaus.

"I'd like you all to meet my sister," Klaus said, gesturing at Rebekah. She smiled wickedly. "Rebekah. Word of warning, though, she can be quite mean."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't be an ass." She shoved Tyler to him, who stumbled over his feet.

"Leave him alone!" Elena demanded through clenched teeth. From her place, AJ could see tears glitter in her eyes. She tried giving her best friend a reassuring look, but instead was clutching at her aching head.

Ignoring Elena, Klaus said, "I'm going to make this very simple." He lugged Tyler until they stood where everyone could see, as if he were making a presentation. "Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die during the transition. It's quite horrible, actually." A fearful silence imbued the gym as Klaus brought his wrist to his fangs. He pulled Tyler by the neck and shoved his gory wrist into the werewolf's mouth, holding him as he fought. "I want you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake," he gripped Tyler's face twisting it slowly, "you better hurry." Then he snapped Tyler's neck, the sound of bones snapping and severing resounded through the gym. Tyler's body fell to the floor with a sick _thud_, leaving everyone gaping at him.

Klaus let the situation sink in as he crossed the room to the bleachers. AJ followed after him, ignoring the increasing pain in her head. "_Klaus_!" she hissed, hurrying to keep up. "Klaus!" she grabbed his arm, spinning him towards her.

He snarled. "Do. Not. Touch. Me."

Holding her ground, she pulled him close until they were face to face. "Do not _ignore_ me. This isn't you—this isn't how I know you." He'd slanted his eyes elsewhere, taking interest in a banner over a doorway. "Look at me!" she shook his arm, suppressing a scream of pain. Her head was just getting worse.

Klaus's gaze bored into her. "I am. And all I see is a pathetic child holding on to hopes long ago shattered."

"No. Klaus, just stop it! Klaus—"he wrenched his arm from her grasp. She lost her balance, stumbling to the floor. Pinching her eyes shut, she tried to shove away the pain. Was it a side effect of Rebekah's blood? Could such a thing happen? She'd never have thought so, but she supposed anything was possible. It couldn't be too much of a stretch to think a vampire so vile would have blood akin to her personality.

"He's dead," Matt was whispering, staring at Tyler's lifeless body.

Elena paced the floor, arms crossed. "No he isn't. He's in transition.

"That's right. Now go on," Klaus said to Bonnie, returning to them. "Go fetch your grimoirs and enchantments and what not. I'll hold on to Elena for safekeeping." He grabbed Elena's upper arm, and she let out a fearful gasp.

AJ managed to push herself to her feet, walking wobbly over to them.

Bonnie left quickly, taking Matt with her. She only spared one glance in AJ's direction. The concern on her face did nothing to alleviate AJ's dread.

"So this is the latest doppelganger," Rebekah said, her eyes running over Elena scrupulously. Her voice was a whisper of a threat, like a slow-working poison. "The original one was much prettier."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Enough, Rebekah. Take the wolf-boy elsewhere, would you?"

Rebekah gave Elena a catty smile. Glancing over the doppelganger's shoulder, she also gave AJ a significant look.

What the heck?

Then she turned to Tyler and grabbed his arm, dragging his body out of the gym like a worthless sack of deadweight.

Elena watched Rebekah leave, then turned her fretful gaze to AJ. Her eyes widened.

Without looking, Klaus said, "Ignore her. Pathetic little thing, your Warrior. Can't even save you now, can she?"

"Klaus," Elena said slowly, shaking her head. "What did you do to her?"

"Rebekah through her at a—"Klaus stopped upon seeing AJ. He released Elena and immediately headed straight towards her, cupping her face between his hands. "AJ, what's happened?" Blood was trickling from AJ's nose, dripping scarlet teardrops to the floor. AJ had her hands clutching her head, as if she could force out the pain. "AJ?"

AJ mumbled something inaudible, her head drooped, looking down at her throat as she barely maintained a hold on conciousness. But Klaus understood. The necklace was missing.

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><p><strong>Please review and help me get another chapter up quick! (-:<strong>


	12. Unexpectedly Heated Moments

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: This took longer than I would have liked, but it's up. I know I said this before, but I love, love, love my reviewers! You all make me smile. (:**

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><p><strong>Twelve<strong>

Overwhelming pain. That was all AJ could process. It felt as if a thousand needles had lined themselves underneath her skin, the pin pricks of pain spreading like fire until it consumed her, wholly. She had no control over her limbs, and barely registered her lack of balance until a blow rattled her spine. Her ears were ringing, blocking out the voices around her.

A tumult of noise seemed to rise up around her. Dissonantly stony screams. That's what they were. Screams. She could hear anguish, cries of pure agony, all that seemed to amass into one single thing, reach a pinnacle, until suddenly there was utter silence.

It left her entire body feeling like a single block of ice. No longer did warm blood pump through her veins, but instead, it was replaced by a flow of arctic water. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She could do nothing at all but think, in total shock, of what was happening. Of what had happened.

She wasn't quite so sure why she hadn't noticed it sooner. The absence of Klaus's necklace, that is. She could see it in her head, however foggy her mind might be. The soft, perfectly carved spirals of the rays on the sun pendant, reaching out like they could envelope warmth and security, and hold it all in one place. As it had. The cool smoothness of the carved wood that touched her skin, emanating a peaceful tranquility into her, never getting warmed by her body heat but staying constant with its magic. The deep color of the etched wood contrasting so starkly against her light skin, as it had against Klaus's as well, from when she remembered him wearing it. She never admitted so, not even to herself, but it always did look like a lovely little thing. And on him—especially on him—it seemed only lovelier.

Lovely seemed to be a word without a place in her head.

Yet, the day he'd rested it at the base of her throat was the day everything had changed. Or, if she was being completely honest, was the day she _allowed_ herself to see the change.

Those deep blue eyes that sometimes looked so closely at her soul, it made her shiver and shake in anticipation and longing. The handsome angles of his face she never dared run her fingers across. His fair hair, ruffled and unkempt, yet so perfect in perfection's brightest state. And those lips. She couldn't think about his lips without losing herself in other ideas. It was these thoughts she shoved away constantly, these poisonous thoughts that rebelled during her dreams.

And now, she couldn't come up with a decent explanation as to why they chose to reveal themselves, be put on display in her mind's eye so bare, so wrong. She wasn't like this. She wasn't weak, didn't succumb to pleasures the way others might. She fought them, however painstaking they might be, and put as much distanced herself from them. But always, oh always, they were fighting back. It was mutiny, she knew. They didn't want to be quelled, but acted upon. And he had no idea. Absolutely no idea.

She felt bodiless. As if, somehow, her soul had detached itself from her physical being, and now looked down upon it. An out of body experience, she supposed. Was that what the pain did? Shoved her conscious mind from her body?

She lay on the cold, tomblike floor of the gym. Unmoving. Her eyes were open, but unseeing. A gory mess of blood traced its way from her nose to her shirt, soaking her neck along the way. The beautiful crimson color was so damning, she thought in wonder. It was her very life-force, the reason she could live, but when spilled with no fix, it was the death of her. Was that what was happening? Was she dying?

Elena was kneeled over her body, sobs wracking through her body, tears streaming down her face and into AJ's open, limp hand. The sound seemed garbled, as if underwater. Elena's shimmering brown eyes held the deepest sadness she'd ever seen in them, like the time they'd thought Bonnie was dead. She kept looking up, demanding _he_ do something.

Klaus.

Klaus was on his knees. There was a hard look about his face—a calculating one. Measuring what? Putting together what? It was true, then. That he didn't really care. He never did. AJ was suddenly glad she couldn't feel anything. That meant she didn't have to feel the hollowness he would have created in her heart.

Elena continued to yell, rising to a scream. Klaus gave her a silencing look, and she fell back into sobs.

He reached out and cleaned away blood from AJ's neck, seemingly feeling for a pulse. Then Rebekah appeared from nowhere. She was holding something. Klaus looked utterly relieved.

AJ felt like she was being sucked back, sucked in, returning somewhere cold and yet warm at the same time. A flurry of feelings brushed over her, but she couldn't grasp them, couldn't reach out to them. A familiar coolness rested at her throat, consistent, almost having a pulse of its own. When she blinked, lifeless eyes turned animate, she found herself looking into a blue abyss.

And then, in a flash, it was gone.

She coughed suddenly, choking for air to fill her deflated lungs.

"Breathe," Elena said, helping AJ into a sitting position and patting her back. "Just breathe."

"What happened?" AJ croaked. Her throat felt like sandpaper and stung as more blood seeped down it. Swallowing hard, she wiped her wrist across her mouth. The blood that'd stained her lips came away, sticky. She stared at it, uncomprehending.

"I don't know," Elena said in a tremulous voice. "AJ—I don't know. What is this?"

She was holding the sun pendant in the palm of her hand, looking at it warily. The back of it was coated in fresh crimson.

AJ's brows furrowed as she straightened everything out in her head. The fogginess went away, replaced with a sharp clarity that seemed almost too lucid. The pain in her head was gone. It no longer felt like needles were being shoved through her skull, piercing her brain, her organs. The vociferous voices that'd surrounded her had fallen silent as death.

"That's Klaus's," AJ said slowly. "Where is he? Where's Klaus?" She looked up, searching the room. He was sitting in the bleachers, his face buried in his hands; looking the most discomposed she'd ever seen him. He was very, unnervingly, still. Rebekah had vanished, if the vampire had ever even been here at all. She could have very well imagined it.

Elena was giving AJ an abstruse look. "Why… well, why are you wearing it? Why did they put it on you? You came back after they did—you came _back_. I really think you were gone, AJ. I think you were… dead."

Returning her attention to Elena, she realized that her best friend had no clue what was going on. "It's too long of a story to tell you right now. First, we need to get you out of here."

AJ stood, pulling Elena up with her.

"AJ—you _died_," Elena hissed with concern. "Don't stress your body. I'm not joking."

Ignoring the comment, AJ yanked Elena towards the opposite side of the gym, towards the exit sign. With any luck, Klaus was too stuck in his thoughts to emerge from them.

Such was not the case. He appeared in front of them within seconds. AJ pushed Elena behind her.

"Move," he demanded. His blue eyes were focused on AJ, heavily guarded by walls upon walls of steel.

AJ shook her head. She could feel the stickiness of the blood on her neck as she did. "No. You move."

"I am not playing games with you," Klaus growled. "I don't care if you'd have died or not. Move now, and I will make Elena's death a quick one, when it comes to it."

"Oh, I'm so sick of this!" she half-shouted, folding her arms over her chest. "You don't care Klaus? Really? Go ahead, keep telling yourself that. Now that we know what really happens when I remove the necklace, should I try it again, then? Since you don't care? No more tedious Warrior impeding all your plans anymore. I bet it sounds nice."

He gave a snarl, his teeth clenched.

The click of a heavy gymnasium door closing caught their attention. Turning around, AJ saw Stefan. In some ways, he appeared unruffled, completely undisturbed by the scene before him. It was what he wanted Klaus to believe. But there was a certain desperate shine in his eyes.

"Stefan…" Elena whispered. Her gaze was glued to him, her mouth parted like she wanted to say more.

Stefan didn't even glance at her. "Klaus," he said carefully.

AJ wasn't sure what to do. She sensed Klaus's rage from the short distance away that he stood. The urge to reassure him came over her, accompanied by another urge to slap him silly. His constant denial was aggravating; it was like soothing a wild animal until it revealed itself, only to scare it back into hiding. Stefan's appearance would only exacerbate things.

"Come to save your damsel, mate?" Klaus asked darkly.

Stefan was expressionless. "I've come to ask for your forgiveness and pledge my loyalty."

"You broke that pledge once already."

"Elena means nothing to me anymore," Stefan said, slowly approaching the trio before stopping. AJ could hear Elena over her shoulder make a dreadful sound. "Whatever you ask…" he slanted his eyes to the floor. "I will do."

AJ's stomach knotted up into a tangled mess. "Klaus," she implored. "Please, think about what you're doing. There has to be another way. We'll _find_ another way, I promise you—"

"Enough," he cut her off, regarding Stefan. "So you want to pledge your loyalty? Ask for forgiveness? Then we'll drink on it." The sides of his lips curled up into a smile as sinister as Death itself. "Kill them," he commanded, his gaze flicking to Chad and Dana. A moment of heavy silence passed, with Stefan staring at the two students. "Well, what are you waiting for? Kill them!"

Beside AJ, Elena cried out. "No! Stefan, please don't! He won't hurt me, he already said—"

In a flash, Klaus's hand lashed out. Elena sprawled to the floor with a shout, holding a hand tenderly to her face as she glanced fearfully up at Klaus. Stefan had advanced on him at full-vampire speed, his fangs barred. AJ knelt beside Elena, using her body to guard her.

Stefan stopped, face to face with Klaus, his eyes blazing with fury.

"So she means nothing to you?" Klaus's voice was as biting as a poisonous snake. "Your lies just keep piling up, don't they?"

"Let her go," Stefan demanded; his self-restraint was evident in the strain of his voice. "I'll do whatever you want, Klaus. Just let her go. You have my word."

"Your word doesn't mean much. I've lived by your word all summer, during which I've never had to resort to this." He stepped in Stefan's face, capturing his gaze. Compelling him.

AJ darted to her feet, shoving at Klaus. "Stop it! Klaus, stop it! I won't let you do this!"

Klaus caught her arms with a single hand, holding her away as he stared at Stefan. "Stop fighting."

Stefan tried fighting it; he couldn't tear his eyes away. "Don't do this. You don't have to do this."

"I didn't want to," Klaus said simply. "I only wanted your allegiance. Now, it looks like I'll have to take it."

"Klaus," AJ breathed desperately, her eyes darting between him and Stefan. "Please. Please stop."

When he spoke to Stefan, he spoke slowly. "You will do exactly as I say, when I say it. You will not run. You will not hide. You will simply obey."

"No!" Elena half-sobbed half-shouted. "Stefan!"

"Now kill them," Klaus said quietly. "Ripper."

AJ dug her fingernails into Klaus's arm, but still he wouldn't look at her. It was too late.

Stefan's fangs elongated, and he hissed savagely before racing towards Dana. His fangs suck into her flesh not a moment later as he began slurping her blood like air, sucking it out of her so quickly that AJ could see the pallor of her skin go from rosy to white within minutes. When he finished with Dana, he tossed her limp body aside and started on Chad, who was cowering away by the bleachers.

Elena sagged to the floor, watching as tears threatened to prick at her eyes. Then her mood became charged with anger, and she was on her feet and heading towards Stefan.

AJ jumped in front of her, pushing her back. "Stop it, Elena! You have to stop! It's already too late!" Her best friend's fighting slowed until her breathing was ragged, and she simply stared over AJ's shoulder hopelessly. AJ hugged Elena fiercely, smoothing down her hair. "There's another way," she whispered reassuringly into Elena's ear. "There has to be."

Klaus rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, observing his new monster. "It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element. The species has become such a broody lot."

"No," Elena shook her head, pulling away from AJ. Her voice broke. "You did this to him."

"Is that so? Funny, I could have sworn he was this way when I knew him last."

The gym doors were shoved open forcefully; its impetus swinging the door against the wall with a loud and resounding _boom_. Rebekah was stalking in, completely discomposed. Her face seemed white with rage, her eyes lethal and dark, her tiny mouth pulled tight into a snarl. There was a cell phone clenched in one hand. She was headed towards Elena.

"Where is it?" she demanded in a shout, her anger bursting like sparks from a fire. "Where's my necklace?"

Elena looked shocked. AJ felt the knots in her stomach tighten as she placed herself between Elena and Rebekah.

"What are you talking about?" Klaus was clearly exasperated.

"She has my necklace!" Rebekah shoved the phone in his face, all the while glowering at Elena over AJ's shoulder. "Look at that. She's _wearing_ it, in that picture."

Klaus's eyes found AJ's before Elena's. "More lies, I see. Why am I not surprised?"

"Klaus," AJ spoke levelly. "I don't know what you're talking about. If you'd just listen to a single thing—"

"Now's really not the time," he brushed her off as easily as one might brush dust off their sleeve, his gaze now fixed on Elena.

Rebekah's chest heaved up and down, her breathing shallow and her teeth barred. "_Where is it_?"

"I don't have it anymore," Elena said, looking dubiously between the vampires.

"You're lying!" Rebekah drove forward, wrenching AJ away from Elena and throwing her to the floor. She latched onto Elena and savagely tore her fangs into the doppelganger's neck. Elena cried out in pain as Klaus pulled Rebekah away.

AJ had landed on her back, with the wind knocked out of her lungs like someone had hit them with a shovel, leaving them deflated and empty. She sucked in a loud gasp of air, quickly staggering back to her unsteady feet and went to Elena. Elena held a hand to her neck. Luckily the wound was shallow. A small amount of blood trickled from it, making a tracery of crimson ribbon down her neck.

Rebekah struggled in Klaus's grip. He looked like he was trying to restrain a bloodthirsty dog from attacking. "Knock it off!" he chided Rebekah.

She only fought harder, sneering. "Make her tell me where it is, Nik! I want it back!"

"Where's the necklace?" Klaus asked of Elena, his inquiring voice having a razor sharp edge to it. "Be honest."

"I'm telling the truth," Elena said with conviction. "Katherine stole it."

Klaus laughed humorlessly. "Of course. Katerina. Well that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace, it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch. But since we're doing this the hard way, let's put it on the clock, shall we?" He released a calmer-yet-furious Rebekah and crossed the gym to the tech booth. After a few moments, a buzzer sounded, and the clock high above them flashed _20:00_ in red lights.

"Twenty minutes," Klaus reads off, a wicked smile growing on his face. He turned to Stefan, who'd been watching from a distance. Chad's body laid lifeless on the floor beside Dana's, looking sickly pale. "If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I want you to feed again. Only this time… I want you to feed on Elena."

"No!" Elena shouted, clenching her fists. "Klaus, don't do this to him!"

"No one leaves," he commanded Stefan. "If either girl tries to run, fracture their spine."

With that, he looked at Rebekah before turning to leave. She followed on his heels, casting a glare back over her shoulder at Elena. Her eyes barely grazed over AJ, but she could see some meaning there. Whatever game Rebekah had been playing since she woke in the truck, she was still playing it. AJ didn't know if she was a pawn, or something more important than that.

After watching them go, she buried her face in her hands, trying to think. She paced back and forth, aware that both Stefan and Elena were watching her and each other. After ten minutes, she stopped. Opening her mouth, she clamped it shut again, pensive. It couldn't possibly be the only escape plan, could it?

Abruptly, she turned to Elena. "Do you have your cell phone?"

"Yes," Elena said slowly, blinking up at her. She pulled it out of her pocket. "Why? What good could it do—oh. Oh, AJ, you can't do that. It's too dangerous."

"And this isn't?" AJ reasoned, gesturing at the clock. "It'll be fine. Just give me your phone."

Elena reluctantly handed it over. AJ immediately began typing in the number she knew by heart. It only rang once.

"Elijah," she said before he could speak, in fear of Klaus returning. "Elijah, we're at the school. Klaus—he's lost his head. I wouldn't ask you this unless I absolutely had to, but is there something you can do? Can you break a compulsion he's made?"

There was a millisecond pause. "No, I can't. Before he was a hybrid, I could, but not now. The school? I'm on my way." Another pause. AJ felt her heart contract. "It may take a few minutes. I'm not in Mystic Falls."

"What? Where are you?"

She could hear him sigh. "I was looking for a way out, for you. I'll be there as soon as I can."

The call ended. She was left staring at Elena and Stefan. "We can get out of this," she said reassuringly.

They looked up to the clock simultaneously. Six minutes left.

Elena's face tightened with apprehension. "Elijah may not make it in time. Stefan, you can control this. I know you can." She gave him a pleading look.

Stefan shook his head in exasperation. "No, I can't. You don't get it, Elena! I'm a ripper! A ripper doesn't stop! I listen to the words coming out of your mouth, and all I hear is the sound of your heart pumping blood through your body. And when that clock ticks down… I'm going to have to feed on you. You know what's worse? I won't be able to stop."

"No, I don't believe that. You can fight it. You just have to want it bad enough."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Why? Because I love you?"

"Yes!" she shouted, angry. "Yes, because you love me. Isn't that enough?"

Stefan looked back up at the clock. Less than a minute left. AJ shifted on her feet, looking towards the doors for any sign of Elijah.

"You're going to have to run," Stefan said quickly, looking at both girls. "Both of you need to run."

Elena was confused. "But Klaus said that if we run…"

"I know what he said! But it's the only way! If you stay, it won't even matter. Just please, go. It's the only way."

"There is another way, Stefan," Elena said softly. "It's for you to fight."

The buzzer went off, making the trio flinch. AJ could feel her insides melt with anxiety. Where was Elijah? From his place, Stefan was holding himself back visibly. His fangs slid out slowly, and a tracery of dark veins appeared under his eyes. AJ grabbed a hold of Elena's arm, tugging her backwards.

"Stefan, I love you," Elena tried desperately. "You can fight it. Don't give up."

Stefan shook his head fiercely. "I can't stop it. AJ… take Elena and run. Run now."

An instant later, he hissed and rushed at them, only to deviate into the bleachers, connecting with them with a sickening _thump_. He moaned in pain. "Go! Run!"

AJ yanked Elena backwards, shoving her towards the doors. Once into the lobby, they took off down the hall. The sound of displaced air followed behind them, and AJ glanced back to see Stefan forcing himself to crash into the trophy case, shattering shards of glass to the linoleum. She pushed Elena faster, feeling the desperate need to escape kick in. Skidding as they rounded a corner, Stefan hit a row of lockers behind them. The sound of metal caving in on metal filled the hallway, making them cover their ears. Just ahead was the cafeteria.

"There!" AJ shouted at Elena, pointing.

Elena shoved open the door as she and AJ tumbled into the room, only to stop dead in their tracks.

Klaus.

"Well," he said lightly. "Isn't this fascinating?"

Behind them, Stefan raced through the doors. He immediately drew a stake from nowhere and plunged it into his abdomen, crying out in pain as he doubled over. AJ pulled Elena back away from them.

"I've never seen this before," Klaus continued, his blue eyes rapt on Stefan. "The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl. Why don't you turn it off?"

"No!" Stefan shouted, his gaze dropping to the floor as he tried to retain his control. He was focusing on the pain, letting it spread through his body.

Klaus stepped towards him slowly, like a predator intending to intimidate its prey. "Come on," he said in a light tone, edged with razor blades. "Your humanity is obviously killing you. All this must be exhausting. Turn it off."

"No," Stefan gritted out.

Standing in front of him now, Klaus gave him a reproachful look. "You're strong," he said, wrenching out the stake from Stefan's body. Stefan winced. "But you're not that strong. Turn. It. Off."

Stefan met his eyes. "No." He shoved Klaus in the chest with as much force as he could, but Klaus was stronger. Using his vampire-speed, he pushed Stefan back until a resonating _crack_ was made in the cement wall where Klaus held him up by the neck.

"_Turn it off!"_ Klaus yelled.

The command had too much power behind it for Stefan's mind to fight. His face twisted and went blank. His eyes were round and wide. When he blinked again, the change within was evident.

"No," Elena whispered. "What did you do?"

Klaus turned to face them, instantly calm. "I fixed him. But I think a test is in order, don't you?"

He moved to circumvent AJ to get to Elena, but AJ shoved him away.

"No," she said, a strain in her voice. "Klaus, you don't need to hurt her."

"Don't be pathetic," he spat. "Your naivety is exasperating."

AJ's hand moved on its own will. She slapped Klaus with speed that nearly seemed to parallel that of a vampire. His face had whipped to the side, and when he looked back at her, her blood ran cold. He'd never looked at her in such a savage way, such a cold-hearted, truly uncaring way.

In less than a second, he had her pinned against the wall, his body crushing her. He was seething and white with rage. As AJ looked into his eyes, that blue abyss she could easily get so lost in, she saw him crumbling away from her. Whatever had made Klaus this desperate, this bloodthirsty again, was taking him over completely. How could she keep him? How could she bring back the Klaus she knew?

She was moving before she realized it. Her lips brushed his, soft as butterfly wings. He was completely rigid against her. She pressed her lips firmer against his, feeling how soft they were, tasting him, encouraging him. His lips moved against hers, finally, as if some sort of shock or hesitation had worn off. He picked her up, and her legs wrapped around his waist as he ran a hand along the side of her face, down her body and back. Placing her hands on his chest, she slid them up and around his neck, burying them in his hair, pulling him closer. A strange desire burned in her, intense and electrifying. He dug his fingers into her, but there was no pain, only the need to be closer. When he brushed his lips against the side of her lips, moving down to her neck, she sucked in a gasp. Her eyes opened, snapping her back to reality.

He felt the shift in her, and pulled away to meet her shocked gaze.

Before either of them could say anything, another voice spoke. AJ would recognize his rich voice anywhere, had heard it in her dreams a thousand times. "Well, I see my aid is no longer needed."

Elijah.

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><p><strong>Please review! I love to hear your thoughts. Also, I need some input. (I have an idea, but I want to think of other ones before I use it.) I'm certain everyone remembers Klaus leaving on the show in this episode at the end. What would <strong>_**you**_** want him to do instead? As I said, I do have an idea that works quite well, but I'd like to know what you guys would like! And now, of course, we have the added mix of Elijah. Let me know! (:**


	13. Small Truths & Darker Roads

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! They simply make me write more. I loved to hear your input!(-: Also, I'd really like to say thanks for sticking with my story this long. Honestly, I would still be writing quite terribly (and probably **_**not**_** writing this! )-: ) if it weren't for my reviewers and readers who really help me to continue. So thanks, and enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Thirteen<strong>

Elijah stood in the doorway of the cafeteria, his hands in his pockets. He was as immaculate as ever, yet his haste to rush to the school was evident in his cool, dark eyes. He took in AJ and Klaus's position with masked indifference.

AJ's mouth dropped open. She firmly closed it several times until she gave up. "Elijah?" she whispered. Though she had only just heard his voice over the phone minutes ago, the sight of him truly took her by surprise. Especially after being pretty much ravished by Klaus.

Elena and Stefan, still present, were both silent as the scene unfolded before them.

Elijah's gaze was boring into Klaus now. "Having your fun, Klaus?"

Klaus was calm. He leaned against AJ as if to make a point, resting his hands on her hips. His eyes danced with darkness. "Oh, you could say that, brother. I've been having all sorts of fun. You don't mind that I borrow your toy, do you?" He leaned his head closer to AJ's neck, a wicked smile on his face.

Elijah clearly held back any sort of quick retort. He stepped slowly into the room instead, running a hand absently along the edge of a table. "If you knew what was good for you, you wouldn't call her that. But I suppose after all this time, you really don't know, do you?"

Klaus shifted slightly. AJ only knew because she could feel it, and cringed inwardly at the confluence of desires that stirred within her at the movement. She needed to focus.

"Well, that's what your girl's for, isn't it? She sure straightened you out. Have you seen yourself? You reek of humanity. But then again, you always did, didn't you?"

"I hardly view that as a bad thing. I'm certain AJ would agree." Elijah's eyes finally met hers, and she had to look away quickly. So much guilt had welled up in her chest that she thought her heart would explode as it pounded relentlessly against her ribs.

"Klaus," she urged, giving a soft nudge to his chest. "Let me down."

He regarded her with a haughty expression, quirking up an eyebrow. "I find I rather like where you are. Once we get rid of him," he nodded his head in Elijah's direction as if he were nothing more than a stranger, "I'd like to pick up where we left off. Actually, he doesn't even need to leave. I'm perfectly comfortable with an audience."

Anger swelled up in her chest, mixed with the guilt. "Don't do this to me. Of all people Klaus… don't do this. Just let me down."

His face was masked. Her arms slid from around his neck to her sides as he lowered her back to the ground. She took several steps away, unsure of what to do. The tension in the room was nearly suffocating. Both brothers were staring at her intently, waiting for her next move. She felt like a chess piece suddenly. The game itself was a mystery to her, making things worse. What if she made the wrong move?

Swallowing hard, she looked up at Elijah.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come." Her voice was light and wavering, timid.

"You should know that I'll always come for you," he said steadily, keeping out any sort of emotion.

Closing her eyes, she let out a shaky breath. He had every right to be mad. "I do know that. I just didn't think there'd be time…"

"I came as quickly as I could." His liquid brown eyes flicked between her and Klaus with grim amusement. "I just can't tell whether I was too late or not."

"Oh, I'd say you came just in time," Klaus said, smirking.

AJ gave him a hurt look. When her eyes returned to Elijah, they glinted with sorrow. "Elijah… I can explain—"

"You shouldn't have to explain," Klaus cut in abrasively. "What _is_ there to explain? Nothing. I think it's all very clear. Isn't it, brother?"

AJ looked helplessly between the two.

"What's clear to me," Elijah said, and if AJ hadn't heard him speak so many times before, she would have missed the strain in his voice, "is that I should have realized your intentions when I saw that dreadful necklace hanging about her neck in Chicago."

Looking down, AJ's lips parted in surprised. The sun pendant gleamed under the florescent lights. She could feel the cool tranquility it emanated. But what did Elijah mean? What did either of them mean?

Beside her, Klaus stiffened. "I suppose it's foolishness on your part then, especially since you had your chance to take her, and you didn't. Anyway," he was swift to change the subject, "you've come just in time. Stefan was just about to get a taste of the precious doppelganger, weren't you Stefan?"

A sudden, terrible realization dawned on AJ. She'd forgotten all about Stefan—he was, well she didn't know _what_ to describe him as. But he definitely wasn't himself. In that moment, he looked completely sinister. Deadly.

"Sounds find to me," he said with a wicked smile in Elena's direction. His usual bright eyes seemed void of any life, replaced by something unfeeling and cold.

Two things happened before AJ could process them: Stefan had fanged out, and was now cornering Elena; and AJ herself was hurtling towards them to act as a barrier.

A scream pierced the air—one that wasn't her own. Hands had grabbed her and jerked her back, and suddenly the world was a blur and she felt completely weightless, like a bird that'd taken flight. Before she knew it, she was greeted by the night air, gasping in a huge breath before yanking her arm out of his grasp.

When she turned on him, she was surprised to find it was Elijah, not Klaus. She was even more surprised that it _surprised _her.

"E—Elijah?" she stammered confoundedly, blinking up at him.

His mouth was set in a grim line. There was hurt in his eyes. "Surprised? You aren't the only one."

He turned on his heel to walk away from the school, but AJ latched on to his arm. "Elijah—please," her voice broke. "Look at me."

"I would," he said without turning around. "Except every time I do, I see him on you. I see everything I've done to get you back, and what a waste of an effort that was." His voice took on a tone of hurt. "You know, I remember that night you came home completely distraught because of what he did—what _you_ did. When he first kissed you, which only happened because you had deceived me and snuck out to meet him. You'd been terribly afraid that you'd lost me, hadn't you?" He turned, now, and met her eyes. His own were so unlike what she was used to gazing into that it took several moments for her speak.

"Yes," she whispered. "I knew I'd made a terrible mistake, going there—letting him do what he did. Reacting the way I had. I didn't deserve your forgiveness."

"And do you, now?" he inquired almost coldly. "Do you think I should forgive you right now? I'm not a fool, AJ. I know he didn't prompt what happened between you two. Klaus does many things, but that is not one of them."

"I—I—"she stopped, searching for the words. "No," she breathed finally, with anguish. "No I don't deserve your forgiveness. Because you're right. You're completely right. I kissed him—I _chose_ to."

He nodded knowingly. "You chose to, but did you _want _to?"

She looked up into his clear eyes, seeing the man she'd fallen in love with. The patience, the nobility, the kindness. He was so many things she could never be. He'd made her a better person. But she'd been apart from him for so long, she'd been with _Klaus_. Things changed, and yet her heart still yearned for her to reach out and touch him, kiss him in the way that was like breathing: an intense need she'd always have, something so easy and familiar.

All of that was impossible now. She wouldn't deny it. It would only hurt him further, and her heart strained just to think of doing that. She felt torn in two, ripped apart, unable to find her other half.

"Yes," she admitted, tears pricking at her eyes. "I did want to."

A flash of anger shone in his eyes that was so intense, she took a startled step back. He breathed out slowly, shaking his head. "Yes, I might have known."

"Elijah—I'm so sorry—I love you, I do, but things have gotten so screwed up—"

"Stop," he said, eyes closed. "Just stop. I saw it in Chicago. I saw the change in you, there, but I wouldn't admit it to myself. I thought it was just the show you'd put on for him, to get him to trust you so maybe you could find a way out on your own. You're clever like that. But that wasn't the way things were, and I know it. Things have changed, haven't they?"

She held back her tears, a lump in her throat. "Yes," she barely whispered. "They have."

He nodded. "I want you to know something," he said quietly, looking at her intently. "I do forgive you. As much as I don't want to, I do. I love you. This doesn't change that. But I can't look at you, AJ. Not now."

Elijah turned to leave again, and this time she didn't stop him. She stared after his retreating figure, wishing she could find the words to make up for everything. But she didn't _want_ to make up for anything—she'd done as she'd wanted to do for so long, it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was a relief, actually; truly a relief when she thought about it. But Elijah… she couldn't bear watching him leave. It felt like he was taking half of her heart with him.

The scream in the cafeteria—_Elena's_ scream—echoed in AJ's head. It reminded her of the matters at hand. Startled by her thoughtlessness, she spun on her heel and made to head back inside the school. Only, she stopped, hard, with surprise.

Rebekah blocked her path.

"Rebekah," AJ looked confoundedly at the vampire. "I need to get back inside. Do you know if—"

"If your doppelganger friend is all right?" Rebekah finished bitterly. "Quite unfortunately, I do. She fares just fine. Klaus is taking her to the hospital right now. He wanted me to find you."

Relief poured into AJ's chest, but she was still wary. "A hospital? Why… well, why would he take her there?"

"Because we can't kill the bitch," she snapped, angry. "She's not supposed to die."

AJ's eyes turned skyward as an overwhelming sense of gratefulness washed over her because of this absurd new twist. Klaus didn't kill Elena. He _wouldn't_ kill Elena. Elena was safe.

Rebekah was peering around, a frown on her face. "Is it true that my brother's here? Elijah?"

"Uh…" AJ hesitated, feeling light headed by all her shifts in emotions. Now there was the overwhelming guilt she thought she could drown in. Maybe she wanted to drown in it. "He was. But he left." She couldn't read the abstruse look on Rebekah's face. Was the Original happy? Sad? Some twisted mix of the two?

"Oh," Rebekah said simply, turning back to AJ. Her eyes were piercing. She reached out and grabbed AJ's wrist, her touch bruising. "Come with me then."

AJ yanked her wrist out of Rebekah's grasp, mostly out of tendency. "Rebekah… what's been going on? Why did you help me?"

Rebekah crossed her arms. "Help you? Don't be absurd. Come."

"No—Rebekah. When I woke up in the truck, you told me where to go. And the whole 'Nik bought it; I may not like you but my brother does' part. You kept giving me weird looks, too, like I was supposed to get something. What's going on?"

Planting her hands on her hips, Rebekah rolled her eyes. "You haven't figured it out yet? _How_ long have you been with my brother, exactly? And I mean Klaus, not Elijah." At the hurt and surprised look from AJ, Rebekah huffed. "Yes, I know about you and Elijah. Pitiful, really. How it's just like the Salvatore boys vying for the doppelganger." There was a definite hint of malice in her tone. "That necklace," she pointed a slim finger at the sun pendant, "should have been your first clue."

Her hand found the pendant like it was a part of her. Looking at it with scrunched eyebrows, thought back to the cafeteria, when Elijah had made a point about it as well. _What's clear to me is that I should have realized your intentions when I saw that dreadful necklace hanging about her neck in Chicago._ But what did that mean, exactly? The necklace protected her from the spirits—it was an amulet of protection. Didn't he know that?

Rebekah scoffed. "You're really still not getting it. You'd think Klaus could find himself a _clever_ girl."

"He gave it to me to protect me," AJ said slowly. "What else is there to get?"

"I shouldn't even tell you," Rebekah said in that high-pitched, snobbish tone. "You should just ask him."

"Except that _he_ won't tell me," AJ reasoned, maintaining her temper. Sometimes Rebekah could really make her want to smash things. "So I think _you_ should."

Rebekah glanced down at a phone to check the time, slightly irked. With a bored sigh, she said, "We have three minutes."

"Plenty of time," AJ said hastily, suddenly feeling paranoid. Was the necklace meant to bring down her protection from him? From being compelled? A thousand different scenarios crossed her mind, none ending very pleasantly.

Rebekah crossed a short distance to lean on one of the seniors cars, cocking her hip. She looked regal, as always, in her delicate poise. It was the scowl that marred her beauty, but it seemed to soften profoundly. "My mother—the Original witch—made that for him, long ago," she began, looking at the pendant reminiscently. AJ was left staring, mouth open. Their mother was _the_ Original witch? How had she not put this together sooner?

"Mind you," Rebekah continued, ignoring AJ's shock, "this was before it'd been found out he wasn't my father's son. Still, _she_ had known, and she had still loved him. She had made that for him, specifically. I would have thought you'd have at least _heard_ about these things in your history books. It's a token of his love. And since you accepted, it means you are his."

AJ gaped at her, eyes popping out almost risibly. "_What?_ He—he never said—I didn't—"

"Oh, like you never even considered it," Rebekah's tone was accusatory. "When a man gives a woman something of his to keep, to wear, to flaunt to others, what _else_ is it supposed to mean?"

Stuttering, AJ shook her head. "But—the spirits. It protects me. _That's_ why he gave it to me."

"Another reason why mother gave it to _him_." Her eyes were lost in the past, some distant memory she was looking fondly upon. "She'd said, '_May your loved one always be safe, and always have a part of you, my dear Niklaus.' _If you ask me, she was rather fond of him, in a way different than the rest of us." Her eyes focused on the present, her tone bored one more. "Anyhow. She spelled it so that whoever he chose to give it to would always be connected and all that. Don't you feel something when you wear it?"

AJ could think of nothing to say. Her fingers were pressed to the pendant, running over the surface she already had completely memorized.

"I'll take that as a yes. Which brings me to my next and final point. You only feel the connection if you, in turn, care for him. Mother always found these things romantic, but she also wanted to protect his heart. Now," Rebekah stood upright, her delicate features tight with impatience. "We _must_ be going."

"But—but_—Rebekah!"_ AJ exclaimed. "You can't just tell me this and expect me to…"

"Oh save it," Rebekah said briskly. "You can talk to him about it. I've had about enough of this mushy love talk." A tiny glint of delight in her eyes said otherwise, but AJ didn't point it out for fear of becoming the next victim of the vampire's fickle temper. Obediently, she remained quiet, which was something she'd never think to do except that her thoughts were teeming with other things, keeping her in a distracted silence.

Soon, they were outside the hospital. AJ blinked up at it, as if it were some foreign thing she'd never seen before. Emerging from her thoughts, she glanced around to find Klaus waiting by a car. Before she knew what she was doing, she was briskly crossing the parking lot to him. He straightened, as if expecting some sort of greeting. When she reached him, her hand lashed out, smacking him clear across the face.

"_AJ_," he said with exasperation, holding a hand to his face. "Love, I'd hardly say twice in less than an hour is very fair. Elena's fine, I assure you. No need to take your frustration out on me. Of course there are other ways…"

AJ's face went white with rage. "You never told me! How could you not tell me? Not ever? There were so many chances, and you just never _told_ me!"

Klaus looked at her as if she'd gone mad. "Told you _what_? If you mean Elena, as I said, she's fine and—"

"Not Elena," AJ hissed, and felt a twinge of guilt for _not_ being mad about that, too. "_This_." She held her hand to the pendant, giving him a dark look.

He blinked down at it, and then over her shoulder at Rebekah. "You just can't keep your bloody mouth shut, can you? Always have to meddle your way into things. Someone should just marry you already. Then you'll be content with your own theatrics."

Rebekah gave him a smirk, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Someone had to tell the dear girl. _You_ weren't going to. Not for… oh, how long?"

Klaus snarled at her. AJ shoved at his chest. "Hey! Don't blame her for being honest with me! What the hell, Klaus?"

Returning to a calm state, he sighed. It was then that she could truly see how tired he was, how frustrated he was, and something else she couldn't read. "This is not how I had planned to tell you," he said, not without giving Rebekah a dark look. She decidedly walked off, leaving them alone.

"Did you even plan to tell me at all? Or was it just some way to get back at Elijah? You knew that _he'd_ know what it meant. He probably assumed I did, too, until I told him you only gave it to me to protect me. You're so manipulative." She went to turn on her heel to leave him, but he caught her arms, tilting his head down to catch her eyes.

"I _did_ do it to protect you," he said earnestly. "And I think you know that."

"Do I?" She was harsh, feeling her anger rise and rise. "Because after all the things you said about not really caring about me, not really caring if I lived or died, I think I've gotten just a _little_ confused. Oh, and calling me your 'toy', too. Yeah, I really get the vibe that you just want to protect me." Wrenching her arms out of his grasp, she folded them over her chest.

"Love, I—"

"_Don't _call me that!"

He sighed. Before he could speak again, Damon was there, arriving from nowhere. His dark hair fell into his face, his eyes wild and angry. After one short glance at AJ, he was in Klaus's face. "Where is she?"

A muscle jumped in Klaus's jaw. He stared Damon down. AJ saw the switch from kind-Klaus to heartless-Klaus flip like a light switch, darkening his features. "She's perfectly fine. Simply giving a little charitable donation. I highly suggest leaving it alone, mate."

"I'll die before I let you hurt her."

Klaus smirked. "As much as I'd like to take you up on that offer, I promised your brother I wouldn't kill you. Unlike him, I keep my word."

"Just let him go in Klaus," AJ demanded, still furious.

Klaus held her gaze steadily. "No. I can't." Looking back to Damon, a shift of something sinister passed through his eyes. "Now that I really think about it, I hardly think your brother would even care if you died. Not the way he is now."

He shoved Damon into the car behind him, preparing to rip his heart out.

"Klaus!" AJ cried, rushing at him at the same time Damon said, "What about Mikael?"

Klaus went completely stiff. "Who?"

"Oh, I think you know," Damon said in that voice he used for negotiations that tended to get pretty ugly. "How would you like it if Mikael found out you're here?"

"You're clever, but lying," Klaus said evenly. "You know nothing about him."

"I know that he's already coming," Damon said almost cheerfully.

Klaus hesitated. AJ watched things in a blur. He threw Damon on the ground before rushing at her, pulling her along with him at an incredible speed. She was beginning to thoroughly dislike the trend and what it did to her stomach.

Three seconds later, she jerked her arm out of his grasp with enough force to send her sprawling into a patch of grass. Klaus stopped immediately, helping her to her feet with near-impatience.

AJ jumped away from him. They were in the middle of a deserted road leading out of Mystic Falls. Behind them was the town, off in the distance, casting a small amount of light onto the road. Beyond, on the other side, was a vast space of darkness, like an oyster that sucked in anything gloomy and gaunt.

"What was _that_ about?" she demanded, breathless.

Klaus paced for a moment. "AJ—we haven't the time. We must leave_ now._"

"Why?" she again demanded, defiantly tilting her chin up. "Damon said Mikael—as in your father. What's wrong if he's coming here?"

"I will tell you _later_," he spoke through clenched teeth. He held his hand out. "Come. Now."

Backing away, she shook her head. "Where do you plan on going?"

"Anywhere," he said hastily. "Away from here. But we must go _now_ AJ. There's no time to waste."

"What about Rebekah? Elijah? If you're taking off because of something to do with your father—what about them?"

"It doesn't matter!" He ran his hands through his hair, pacing again. "They will be fine!"

She ceased her torrent of questions, studying him before her. Finally, in a quiet voice, she asked, "Why take me with you?"

He stopped so suddenly that she was surprised to see there was no momentum to make him wobbly on his feet. He looked at her, his blue eyes so deep and unguarded. "Because you aren't safe here."

"Says you," she refuted, still quiet and pensive. "You, who never told me about _this_." Again, she made a point of the necklace.

Klaus crossed the short distance to her, his hands slipping into her own, his eyes looking into her soul. "I promise you, I will tell you everything you want to know. I swear it. But I can't tell you anything if you aren't safe—if you aren't with _me_."

AJ searched his eyes, her thoughts reeling, her stomach flipping with emotions. He wanted her to leave with him—to _somewhere_. So many faces flashed in her mind's eye; Elena, Damon, Stefan, _Elijah_. She would have to leave them, _again_. For how long? For what reason? Did she really trust Klaus? Could he really mean it—that she wasn't safe here, not without him? Could he mean anything he said? Why did she suddenly doubt everything about him?

She bit her lip, looking down at their intertwined hands. His engulfed hers, holding them tightly, his skin rough yet somehow smooth at the same time, like a rough silk. The pendant was nearly throbbing at her throat with a cool heartbeat of its own, its sense of tranquility changed into something more passionate, more deep.

"AJ," he said, tilting her chin up so she met his azure eyes. "Tell me you'll come with me."

She didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until a sharp pain tore through her chest, and she sucked in air. Her eyebrows were knitted together, her eyes lost in his, her mind lost in thoughts. _Tell me you'll come with me._

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the town again. That's where Elena was. Damon and Stefan and Elijah, Bonnie, Matt, Tyler, Caroline. The people she cared about, who cared about her. What would they think if she left them behind? If she chose to leave with Klaus?

Elijah's face stuck in her head, his liquid brown eyes looking at her with hurt instead of love. She never thought he'd look at her that way. It split her heart in half, watching him leave the way he did. Knowing that he still loved her, but he couldn't bear to look at her.

But Klaus didn't want to leave her. He wanted her to go with him.

She closed her eyes, squeezing his hands gently before looking up at him. The pendant seemed to pulsate wildly at her throat, almost urging her forward.

"Yes," she breathed, meeting his eyes again. "I'll go with you."

Relief spread across his face. He cupped her face and kissed her, pressing his lips onto hers not softly, but with need and passion. She never believed someone's knees could go weak until that moment. She nearly gasped at the flurry of emotions that overwhelmed her, and automatically wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

He pulled away gently and took her hand. She knew there was no turning back. Looking toward the dark road ahead of them, she bit her lip.

_Tell me you'll come with me._

_But what am I getting myself into?_

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><p><strong>Well, what do you think? Thoughts on the necklace? Elijah? Klaus, AJ? There's something about this chapter I liked more than the others, I just don't know what it is. Review! (:<strong>


	14. My Mother Walks Into a Bar

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: Ah! Reviews, reviews! I love them! You're all inspirational. I've been getting chapters up quicker because of you all! Hope you like this. . . (:**

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><p><strong>Fourteen<strong>

AJ was aware of an enveloping warmth running the length of her body, tucked up close to her, making her feel weightless as she lay curled up on her side. Her eyelids felt heavy with the desire to sleep; her mind was lifting itself from a place where a certain vampire's hot touch had traced its way over her body, leaving her restless with longing. She shifted to her other side, wishing to return to such a place.

The soft, rhythmic roar of waves could be heard in the distance; like a dreamscape lullaby, yet one she knew did not belong in any of her escapes. She barely opened her eyes, her dark lashes fringed in her vision, to absorb the mattress and pillow she lay upon. Soft blankets were pulled up to her chin, keeping the cold air that caressed her face from purloining her body heat.

The mattress came from heaven, itself.

In her languid state, she allowed her eyes to close once more, sighing in delightful satisfaction. No more running. Just sleep. Sleep was oh so wonderful. She could remain in the peaceful, heavy-lidded state for eternity.

His voice came to her softly. So soft, she thought she might've slipped into a dream once more.

"Love?"

A warm, calloused hand met the soft skin on her cheek, brushing a dark lock of hair away from her eyes with a thumb. The skin, albeit rough, retained a soft texture, making her sigh again. It was the same hand from her dream; the same touch that had made her—

She nearly toppled off the bed in shock. Bolting upright, her forehead connected with his; she winced away as the throbbing pain settled in, then peeked up to see him from where he sat on the edge of the bed.

There really wasn't any way to tell if Klaus was scowling or smirking. Or a combination of the two.

"I was only checking on you," he said, rubbing at his forehead. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"That's what you always say," she quipped wearily. Looking down at herself, she realized she was only in a flimsy tank and boy-short panties. Quickly, she snatched up the blankets that'd become disentangled from her and covered herself, giving him a hard glare, a scowl on her lips. "I seriously should stake you for _undressing_ me! Really, Klaus? God, I thought even _you_ knew boundaries!"

He almost looked perplexed. "You undressed _yourself_, _darling_. Quite clumsily, if I might add. Not that I peeked or anything. You were quite adamant that I turn around." At her disbelieving look, he became incredulous. "You really don't remember? Perhaps you hit your head harder than I thought."

"Hit my head? What are you talking about?"

Now that he mentioned it, there was an odd ringing in her ears. Her head felt foggy. She lifted a hand to her temple and felt a jolt of pain like lightning run through her head, making her nerves scream. Pulling her hand back she saw flakes of dried blood on it.

"What happened?" she asked, bewildered.

Klaus was very grave, making her stomach flip with anxiety. "It was a few short hours after we left Mystic Falls. An occult member—I would swear it was one, at least—somehow tracked us. Don't you remember stopping in Chicago?"

"No," she said slowly, even as she tried digging through her muddled thoughts. "I don't remember that."

"I see." He brought his hand to her head and, very delicately, examined the wound. "I wanted to wait until you woke to heal you. I didn't think it'd be all that pleasant otherwise."

"What happened in Chicago?" She tried ignoring his warm touch. It only brought back memories of the dreams; false memories of him, yet painfully pleasurable ones. "Did it… attack us?"

He sighed deeply, frowning. "I left you in Gloria's bar for a short moment to see if she'd returned yet. She didn't. When I came back, it was there."

She watched him carefully. "What did you do?"

"Killed it," he said simply, but she saw the anger quickly cross his features before it disappeared.

She gave a small nod, looking down at the flecks of blood in her hand. It was strange she had no recollection whatsoever of even being in Chicago; or especially being attacked. At least they were no longer being tracked. Brushing away the dried blood, she glanced around the room.

They were inside a house, but it didn't look to be very large. There was a large window across from the bed, shrouding away any sunlight with heavy drapes drawn together tightly. By the way a ruddiness of grey light poured from the sides, she knew it was daytime. An armchair was shoved up against the window, a small table and lamp beside it, spilling a glow of light into the darkened room. Other furniture was strewn together in the room, seemingly at random, and a lot looked cleared out. A set of old French doors on her left lead into a kitchen of sorts; the white paint that bordered it was chipped in certain places.

The soft churn of rolling waves could still be heard, almost beckoning now. It was coming from outside. She gave Klaus a curious look.

"Where exactly are we?"

"West coast," he said, looking towards the covered window as if he could see outside. "Oregon, to be precise."

Her eyes went wide. She pulled the blankets tighter around her, suddenly feeling colder. "What are we doing in _Oregon?_"

"Seeing that my dear father wants to drive a stake through my heart, I thought it best we not stay in any place he'll think to look for me in," Klaus said with grim amusement.

AJ's mouth parted. "Your father—he wants to _kill_ you? Why would he want to do _that?_"

His face immediately went impassive. "Long story."

A flashback of the dream she'd had in that room above Gloria's bar played out in her head. Mikael had looked nearly intent on killing Klaus, back when they'd been human. Would that only have amplified when they'd become vampires?

She stole a glance at Klaus, who seemed rigid and tense as he gazed at the curtains as he was lost in thought, sitting on the edge of the bed. Another memory stole at her, and she could feel a ghost of the way his soft lips had been on hers with a needful passion, the way his hands had touched her, and she wanted to melt.

Swallowing hard, she placed a hand on his forearm, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"You know you can talk to me," she said quietly. "Besides, you brought me all the way to _Oregon_. Give me some credit."

His gaze was piercing even with the lack of lighting. "You didn't have to come if you didn't want to."

"I'm not saying that I didn't want to," she danced around _that_ topic quickly. "I'm just saying… you can talk to me. _Trust_ me."

A muscle jumped in his jaw. "I don't know that _trust_ is something we should be discussing. All things considered."

"Klaus," she said sadly, running her hand down his arm to slip it over his in a way that seemed almost bizarrely natural, except for the way it made her heart flutter "I'm sorry. I guess… I'm really not the best at telling the truth all the time. But neither are you."

His gaze flicked to the pendant resting at the base of her throat. "Are you still angry?"

"Are you?" she asked quietly.

He stood, crossing his arms as he went to stand before the window. The soft glow of the lamp cast strange shadows on his features. "I'm not sure."

AJ sighed, not moving from her place. "I know that I said you could trust me and I lied to you. Well I didn't _exactly_ lie to you, but—"

"You still didn't tell me," he finished quietly, the faintest edge to his voice.

She crossed her arms, annoyance swelling in her chest. "Just like _you_ skirted around telling me about this necklace," she pointed out. "I'm not going to feel _totally _guilty for something we _both_ did."

He faced her, lips pulled tight, eyes unreadable. "Perhaps you're right. But even now that I've had time to consider things, I'm not entirely sure what to make of them."

He didn't have to say what he meant for her to understand perfectly. It'd only been on her mind since she woke, and even before she woke; her subconscious had catered to the thought too much. The way she kissed him—the way he'd kissed _her_. As much as she tried to ignore it, the heat on her cheeks was obvious. Ducking her head, she pretended to curl up into the blankets more, resting her head on the pillow. She stared at the ceiling.

"You're wondering where all this leaves us," she stated, inflectionless.

Klaus returned to her side. She knew by the shift in the mattress; he was very close to her. The heat of his body, even inches away, warmed her more than any amount of blankets could.

"It crossed my mind."

Sighing lightly, she could feel his eyes on her, as if just by looking at her, he was brushing his fingertips over her skin. It sent a shudder down her spine. She hoped he deduced it to the cold.

She didn't even realize she'd grasped the sun pendant in her hand until she registered the strange cool peace it emanated into her palm; almost the way a piece of glass would feel upon initially grasping it. She peered down at it.

"I know what this is," she spoke quietly, trying hard to avoid his eyes. "But I'm not certain what it means, exactly."

He paused. "You touch it even when you don't mean to. Like it gives you comfort."

"Meaning?"

"I suppose this is when _you_ tell _me_."

Closing her eyes, she sucked in a breath. "Rebekah explained to me what it means to—to _accept_ this." She figured 'this' was better than saying '_love token'_. Although, speaking in vague terms was becoming exhaustive. "And… well, I didn't _exactly_ accept it, now did I? It's not as if I can take it off, either. I mean, we've both seen what happens…"

She could feel his rigidness even through the amount of space that separated them. "So you mean to say that you _don't_ accept it. You wish not to wear it, though you simply must to preserve your life."

Biting the inside of her lip, she exhaled softly. "No," she admitted quietly. "That's not what I mean to say. It's just—I don't know, Klaus. I don't _know_."

She could feel his touch even before he touched her, where his hand hovered over the bare skin of her arm, left exposed from the blanket. His fingertips skimmed over her lightly, running from shoulder to hand. She had to close her eyes to hide the surge of emotions it sent through her, and clench her hand into a fist to control her urges. He took note, and entangled his fingers within hers, watching her curiously.

"Look at me." It wasn't a demand, but it wasn't something to be ignored.

AJ opened her eyes. It was so easy to find his; so easy that it scared her. She said nothing; only stared.

"You told me something, once. Back up in the mountains. That we have something in common—our state of seclusion from others, because of what we are. Because we are the one and only of our kind."

She nodded. "Yes, I remember that. I still believe it."

He seemed to be on the verge of speaking again, but shook his head instead, clamping his mouth shut.

Sitting up, the blankets fell to her lap. She didn't care. She pulled herself closer to him with their intertwined hands. "What about that? What is it?"

Offering no explanation, he pulled his hand from hers. His gaze momentarily rose to her forehead, where the blood had dried over at her temple. "You need to be healed."

"Klaus," she implored, still grasping at their fragile moment. "Klaus, I don't care about being healed. What were you going to say?"

He pushed himself up onto the bed more, close to the headboard, leaning against it. The bed was larger than she initially realized; quite large, in fact. He beckoned her to him after tearing open the vein in his wrist.

She sat a moment, thinking back to another time he'd offered his blood. Nerves tightened in her chest.

"Don't you get tired of cutting open your wrist?" she asked softly, edging towards him. Her heartbeat picked up, rising so that she felt it in her throat. Images of her dreams rose in her mind. _Bad idea bad idea bad idea, _were her only coherent thoughts.

Klaus pressed his lips together, studying her. The blanket, thin as it was, had been discarded very easily. An immense amount of skin was exposed. He tried looking away, to no avail. "However tedious it may be for others, I don't mind. You need to be healed."

She nodded, watching as the cut healed itself slowly; revealing flawless skin within moments. A very short distance was left between them; one filled with a certain magnetism. She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe I do need to be healed. But you don't have to cut your wrist to do that. You've said before that you'd prefer… somewhere else."

Gritting his teeth together, he stared at her. "Whatever games you may be playing, I hardly find it very fair, given the circumstances. You're clothes are on the armchair behind you. Get dressed. Then I'll heal you."

Paying no mind to his words, she continued until her knees were touching his thighs. In her thin tank and panties, she felt as exposed as she ever had been in front of Klaus. But it only seemed to urge her on. She leaned forward, running a finger down the sensitive skin on his neck, watching his eyes as she did. He was hiding behind his mask.

Then she leaned forward, giving no thought to foresight in this situation. Her lips grazed his neck. He stiffened.

"Wouldn't you agree I'd have better…access here?" She knew she was pushing the limits, but that Klaus maybe wanted to be pushed. Or maybe not. Maybe this was a terribly awful idea. There was only one way to find out.

"AJ…" He gave her a pleading look. But she saw what she needed to, to move forward.

It was only a moment before she was straddling him, her hands resting on his taut, muscled shoulders. The pleading look was crumbling. This was not something she, herself, had anticipated. Still, a strong sensation of desire erupted in her, and she couldn't tear herself away.

She ran her fingers over the angles of his face; something she dared not to do before. He was beautiful, doubtlessly, without match.

He made no move to stop her. Actually, she was surprised he wasn't goading her forward. This was what he wanted, wasn't it? To finally have her, as his and only his? But—was this what _she _wanted? A day ago, she'd kissed him. Could she be so sure?

Yet the emotions stirred within her seemed doubtless. Had she ever felt this way with Elijah? No. That was the simple answer. No. And she didn't want to wonder what that meant. Not now.

She rested her hands on his chest, feeling the lean muscle hidden beneath his shirt. Sliding her hands up around his neck, she pulled herself closer to him, carefully placing a kiss on his jaw. Her lips grazed slight stubble.

It seemed to finally entice a reaction from him. His hands slid up the naked skin of her legs until they came to rest on her hips, firm and gripping. The feeling of his skin on hers, with no barriers there, felt exhilarating. His eyes no longer were withholding, but burning with the same fire as hers.

He leaned up and stole her mouth with his, pulling her closer to him by her hips. She wanted to moan in pleasure. If this much of his touch was already euphoric, what would happen if they went further?

Returning his kisses was easy. It was the self-restraint she had to apply to keep from letting him have her completely that was hard.

His tongue slid over her bottom lip and as she moaned, her lips parted; he seized entrance. He had one hand firmly grasping her hip, pulling her down onto him; the other was cupping her face, thumb brushing over her cheekbone. She sunk down onto him, feeling him through the fabric of his jeans, and her heart gave a jolt. Pressing closer, she wrapped her arms around his neck first, and then tangled them into his hair.

She gave a start when he flipped them over; he was now dominating her, in control. Although he held a hand out to hold himself over her, she could feel his body press onto hers. The need to remove all barriers overcame her, and she freed her hands from his hair, skimming them down his chest to the hem of his shirt. Slipping them under, she felt the heat of his body on her palms. Then she pulled at the hem, revealing his chiseled chest as she inched it upwards. Finally, he swiftly pulled it over his head himself, tossing it to the floor. Resuming his place, he kissed her down to her neck, nipping at the skin, making her dig her fingernails into his shoulder blades as jolts of pleasure tore through her and she arched her body into his. She gave a gasp, her eyelids fluttering.

Never before did she want someone to take control of her, to take away her power. There'd never been a time when she completely yearned for it. Until now.

Their fervor only increased. He ran his hands over her body, exploring her. His lips never stopped moving against her neck, up to her jaw, back to her mouth. Everywhere he was burned fire, leaving his touch behind in wake; its embers smoldering on her skin. His fingers skimmed under her tank top, running farther up to brush her belly button, her ribs, making her body ache in a way it never had before. She craved him with such intensity that it shocked her. His strong, gently, dominate touch elicited small gasps of pleasure from her.

There was still too much separating them.

She moved to pull her own tank over her head, but his hands came down on hers, precluding them from moving. He rested his forehead against hers, his breathing labored, eyes closed.

AJ studied his face. "Why are you stopping?"

"Because," he said with a shaky breath, a small strain in his voice. "You need to be healed."

"You don't need to stop for _that_," she said with a hint of exasperation. Leaning up, she placed a kiss on his stubbled jaw, running her hands down his bare chest.

"AJ, I'm not giving you an option. Your head wound could be interfering with your way of thinking, for all I know."

She stopped completely and pulled back, searching his face. "You think—you think I'm _delirious_? That I don't want this?"

He sighed. "It was only yesterday that you—"

"That I kissed you?" She finished, cringing at the edge in her voice. "Yes, Klaus. I'm pretty sure I didn't have any problems with my head _then_. You want to know what else I did yesterday? I admitted to Elijah that things have changed—between us. You and me. And you know what _he _did? He left me. Do you still think I'm not choosing this?"

Klaus stared at her silently, guarded. "I think I should heal you."

"Fine," she groaned. "Heal me. But it doesn't change anything."

"I should hope not." He smiled down at her; a smile that made her insides squirm with bliss; that made her long for him, long to return to their feverish kissing that had been sure to go somewhere else. By no means was it a pleasant, friendly smile. No, it was dark, but a passionate kind of dark.

No matter how many times she'd argued that making a small incision in his neck would be more convenient for him, he'd settled on the other side of her and tore open his wrist. Beautiful crimson had begun to pool, and she had leaned forward to taste the addicting blood.

She watched as he moved from the bed, crossing to the window. He pulled open the curtains, allowing grey watery light to spill inside the dim room. Her eyes were only focused on him, his bare chest, his fluid movements, the way the muscles moved under his skin. She couldn't get over the feeling of being rejected so easily. Since when wasn't Klaus teasing her with innuendo? How many times had he made a point that he wanted to get his hands on her?

But her senses were quickly returning to her. What did she _care_?

Suddenly, she wished she didn't think of that question.

Her eyes shifted from him to the scene outside, and widened. She stood, stopping for a quick moment to pull his shirt on over her head, even though it was obviously too big for her, and went to the window.

It'd been several years since she'd been on a beach, but never had she seen one quite like this. The pale sand was dotted with large, jagged boulders that spread outward until some were getting brushed by the tide. A white tumble of waves rolled in, mesmerizing and beautiful. There was a mist resting over the water, stretching out until she could hardly see the beach on either side of them. Just barely in view was a marina down the right of the shore, docked with countless boats. Beyond that, she could see the dark tops of old buildings.

"We're in Oregon," she said slowly, folding her arms over her chest to stay warm. "But where exactly in Oregon _are_ we?"

"Astoria," he answered, his eyes skimming over her body furtively. "Easy enough to lay low here. Although if you continue to dress like _that…_" He smirked.

AJ made no move to cover herself any more than she had. She wanted him to see what he refused. "And if I continue to dress like this, I'm sure _someone_ would be more than willing to _un_dress me," she muttered on her way to the kitchen. Shoving through the French doors, she looked around curiously.

Klaus followed her, frowning. "AJ," he said. When she ignored him, he stopped in front of her, grabbing her face in his hands. "_AJ_."

That was all it took to send the memories flooding back into her mind. _AJ._ She was back in Gloria's bar. The funky sign had still been lit in neon, but the bar itself had been completely empty; eerie. Dust motes had drifted through the air, making it seem almost abandoned. Klaus had turned to her, telling her to wait for a moment while he looked for the witch.

She had waited, leaning up against the railings that separating the booths from the actual bar area. People passed by the windows, going to and fro in a hurry. Her back had been to the door, but she heard it open behind her, or maybe sensed it. Thinking Gloria had returned, she turned to greet the witch. Only it hadn't been Gloria.

There weren't many facial features to get an actual distinction for who she saw, except that she _knew_ she recognized the woman; her eyes, to be more specific. It wasn't until the woman chose to speak that AJ had realized from where.

Dissonantly stony screams. Cries of pure agony and anguish, a tumult of noise surrounding her, surging towards her. They'd pushed her from her body. But one voice in particular, one scream, had stood out among the others. A woman had been warning her. Her soft, dulcet voice had turned to one of desperation and fear. The woman had warned her there in the gym, before she nearly died, when Elena sobbed over her and Klaus felt God-knows-what.

That woman had latched on to AJ's arm, tried telling her something in an important hush. She'd said _AJ_, before saying her true name. _Alexandra. _Klaus had returned to the bar area, then, as if cued to. She could see the threat in the woman's stance, how it could be perceived that way. But that wasn't what AJ saw. That wasn't what she _knew_. Before AJ could salvage the situation, things spun out of control.

The woman had pushed AJ behind her in defense, but AJ's head had connected with the corner of the wall after she stumbled over her feet. She'd fallen to the floor, eyes raised, mouth open to say something.

But she hadn't been able to tell Klaus. Klaus had already killed her mother. Her already _dead_ mother.

_AJ. Alexandra._

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><p><strong>So please give me your thoughts? What did you think of our AJKlaus? He simply makes me want him, now that I've proofread it several times. Goodness. But he's holding back, isn't he? Where is our dark, seizing Klaus that doesn't take no for an answer, that doesn't stop? Why did AJ let her instincts take over? Ha, I hope this chapter isn't too confusing. Is it totally annoying that I put my own plot in here, whilst including the romance. Is the romance wanted more, the plot wanted less? Or is it balanced just enough? Reviews are so deeply appreciated! (:**


	15. Now Give a Little Bit More

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: **_**Warning: Mature Content**_**. **

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><p><strong>Fifteen<strong>

The scene of the beach from the window hadn't been deceiving. It was utterly cold outside. The sunlight wavered through the mass of clouds gathered in the paper white sky. It looked like a painter had taken a brush and stroked grey through it, making the day dreary with gloom. The water stretched on and on, as far as she could see before disappearing into a grey-white mist. She was perched on a rock, not as jagged as others; the stone was even colder than the air, sending irrepressible shivers through her body. A slight wind pressed at the side of her face, pushing her hair in her eyes.

AJ watched, arms crossed to hold in body heat, as the waves rolled over the sand; back and forth, back and forth. The sound was peaceful, like an audio version of the sun pendant resting at her throat. She simply wished they could bring her a sense of peace, right now. Instead, she felt nothing. Numbed. Like doctors had replaced her blood with numbing serums and it weighed down her limbs, her eyes, her heart. Her thoughts were a tangled mess.

Once her memory had returned in the kitchen, she'd turned swiftly on her heel, quickly tossing Klaus's shirt on the bed as she yanked on jeans and her long sleeved shirt, strapping on her usual boots before heading wordlessly outside. Her body seemed to be on autopilot.

Klaus had been on her heels and nearly left the house bare-chested, except that he yanked his shirt back on as he crossed the threshold of the door. She'd heard him call her name several times. Now he stood beside her, eyes scrutinizing her every move as if he could see into her mind.

_Alexandra._ She remembered the words being uttered perfectly. Though she'd known that was her true name, it still surprised her to hear it. It surprised her even more to hear it from her mother's lips. Her true, biological, dead mother.

But that hadn't been her mother, exactly.

The memory of her mother on a swing-set with her materialized in her head. Her mother, with wide grey eyes, a beautiful smile, a tender look. She'd seen that tender look in that stranger's eyes at the bar; in whomever her mother had _possessed_ to reach her.

Possessed. Was that just as bad as a vampire compelling someone, taking advantage of their mind? Or was it worse because not only were they taking advantage of their mind, but their body? They take away any control a person might have had. Why, if her mother had been good, would she do such a thing? What warning never crossed her lips? Klaus had silenced her without even questioning her identity. Why? She almost wanted to laugh at the question, but she knew she was on the verge of hysterics. Nothing was ever easy. Problem after problem surfaced, one after the other. At least she wasn't alone.

Klaus stood beside her, conflicted on how to understand, to reassure. But her shivering body was enough reason for him to move closer, to wrap his arms around her shoulders and pull her close to his chest. She allowed it, nestling into him to fend away the cold. For other reasons, too.

"You haven't said a word to me," he said in a murmur. "AJ... I did not mean to upset you—"

"It's not that," she assured quickly. "Although I wouldn't mind an explanation about that, I don't need it right now."

He stayed silent for several minutes, feeling her heartbeat on his skin. "Then what do you need?"

"I need to understand," she spoke slowly, her eyes glued to a white-capped waved rolling in, "why it is you killed my mother."

"Your _mother?_" It was the first time she'd ever heard him sound utterly shocked. Looking up at him, she found that his expression mimicked his tone.

"So you didn't know, then?" she asked, inflectionless. "That it was my mother you killed?"

Klaus blinked at her. Instead of slacking or pulling away, his arms were only tighter around her. "AJ—perhaps my blood didn't heal you entirely. How much did you drink? Your biological parents were killed by the _Lemurė _some years ago, and your other ones—they still live. I haven't harmed them."

"I remember, Klaus," she said in a whisper, leaning in closer to him. She felt terribly numb. Terrifyingly numb. His warmth alleviated some of that. "About Chicago, before I hit my head, I mean. You were wrong. That wasn't some occultist or whatever. That was my mother."

He went rigid as ice. "Your mother—I've met her, AJ, that wasn't—"

"No," she said wearily. "Not my living mother. My biological one."

A small crease formed between his eyebrows. "You aren't making any sense. She's dead, AJ. For years, she has been."

"Don't you think I know that?" It wasn't meant to sound harsh, but it came out that way. She cringed, pulling away to look at him. "Sorry. It's just—I know, Klaus. I know how strange—_impossible_—it is. But it _was_ her. She was trying to warn me, like she tried to in the gym."

"I still can't make sense of this..."

She could tell by the softness of his voice and the way he began stroking her hair that he thought she was still delusional. She huffed.

"She was _there_. In the gym. When I didn't have the necklace on. Something strange had happened—like I was being forced out of my body. I could see you and Elena bent over me. But I could hear things, too. People were screaming, but it wasn't anyone in the gym, of course. It was like… I'm not sure, exactly. It kind of reminded me of Lucas—like they weren't really there, but were. Ghosts, maybe. I don't know. Through all that noise, I could hear someone warning me. But it got cut off, and I never really made sense of it. I never really thought about it until now."

"Your mother," he said slowly, after a pause. "She tried to warn you in the gym, and again in Chicago."

"Yes."

"But how? I've heard of spirits returning to this plane, but it's not very common. Lucas, I think, was an anomaly."

"But don't you remember he mentioned something about a door being opened? Being able to pass over a threshold?"

Klaus was silent. Turning to look at him, she saw his eyes were on the pale sand, thoughtful. She felt her composure breaking, and quickly mended it back together. She couldn't lose her head now. Not now. Closing her eyes, she focused on the pendant, on Klaus's arms around her. It was strange, she thought, to have fought for so long to remain detached from him, but now it was all she could do to stay in control of her desires. Yet as much as she ached to return to the house, the bed, she couldn't tear her thoughts away from the problem at hand.

He raised his eyes, studying her face. His mouth was grim. "What do you think the warning was?"

The question made AJ feel cold as ice. It brought forth another that made her feel worse.

"How did my necklace come off?" she asked in a whisper.

They were both silent, then, staring off at the water rolling in on the shore. They remained that way until Klaus scooped her up in his arms and carried her back inside, back into warmth.

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><p>The kitchen was quaint; it was painted in lighter tones, like the bedroom, and kept a seaside look about it. AJ never really understood why people chose to theme their homes on what they could see when simply looking outside. But everyone had their preference.<p>

Klaus was almost comically sifting through cupboards and drawers after finding the refrigerator empty of food. It was odd to see him in such a normal setting. Though no matter how many times she said she simply wasn't hungry, he insisted she eat something. Now he leaned against the countertop with a frown.

"Klaus, I told you it isn't a big deal," she said lightly. "I'm not hungry. I really don't think I could eat anything anyway. There's just too much on my mind."

"And the last time you did eat was when, hmm? A day ago? More?"

She looked down at her hands, folded atop the square table she sat at.

"That's what I thought," he said. "Our traveling hasn't really left room for much else, has it?"

"Like I said, it doesn't matter. We'll just… go into town tomorrow or something." She looked out the double doors, at the sun setting over the waves, casting a shimmer of orange and pink splashes on the water. "It'll be dark soon. Wait—there_ is_ a town around here, right? I thought I saw a marina a ways down the water."

"It's five minutes away," he said, then paused. "When you travel the way I do. I can go get you something right now, actually. Do you have a preference?"

"_Klaus,_" she groaned. "You don't have to look after me. I said I'm fine." When she looked up from rubbing at her weary eyes, she noticed the strange look on his face and realized she said something wrong. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," he said shortly, turning away. "You're certain I can't talk you into getting anything?"

"I'm positive. As much as I appreciate it, I just don't want anything. Not now." AJ sighed and stood to return to the room to sleep, but instead found herself looking out at the water again. Of all the places Klaus could have chosen to go, he chose quite well. It was beautiful, to put in the simplest terms. There wasn't another house around for large stretches of the beach and the marina was just a grey silhouette on the water. There was a small, bright green forest behind the house, leading up towards the bit of town she could see. It was vibrant with color, even in the dimming twilight.

AJ couldn't help that her thoughts immediately returned to earlier that day. When she and Klaus had been so close; when she'd wanted him so badly that she ached. How she'd felt strangely rejected, yet still yearned for him. It returned in a fierce longing, making her feel things she hadn't felt before. That made her nervous. She closed her eyes and let the cool wind clear her head.

When she felt him come up behind her, her heart fluttered. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder as he stared outside, too. A month ago, she would have laughed at the idea of Klaus being so… gentle. This was a new side of him.

"Are you still angry with me about earlier?" he asked in a hush.

"Which part of earlier? The part when you made it very clear you really don't want to touch me like… that, or the part about my mother?"

"Both. But it wasn't that I didn't want to continue, AJ, it's just…"

She turned in his arms, facing him. Their mouths were only inches away. She stared into his azure eyes, biting her lip to resist the urge to kiss him. "It's just what?"

His gaze lowered. The uncertainty on his face seemed wrong; Klaus was never apprehensive. "You said Elijah left you yesterday. And you _did_ take a nasty bump to the head. I just think you might be confused."

She pressed her lips together until they were bloodless. "Confused about what? _This_?" Gesturing towards how close they were, she shook her head. "Trust me, I'm definitely not confused. I don't think you really get the situation with Elijah."

"Then why don't you tell me?"

A spasm of pain tore through her heart. She could see the hurt look in Elijah's eyes, the terrible way he'd looked at her before he'd left. He had said he still loved her. But she knew it wasn't enough—maybe not for either of them.

"Elijah… he left me. He _left_ me Klaus. I could see it by the look on his face, and I don't even blame him. I was honest with him even though I knew what I was losing in the process."

Klaus paused. "If you knew you would lose him, then why be honest? Why not lie?"

"Because I don't want to lie about this," she whispered, resting her forehead against his. She could feel his breath brush her lips. "Not to him, not to myself… not to you. I just… I don't want to. It's been so long since I've been honest with myself."

"Honest about…?"

She smiled because she knew he was fishing for her words. He wanted her to say them, to speak what made her hesitate. Klaus wasn't a fool.

"Honest about us. How I feel… when I'm with you." Her forehead still rested against his, but her eyes dropped to the sun pendant. It was a token of love, she knew. Rebekah had said so and Klaus hadn't denied it. But _did_ he love her? Or did he give it to her because at that time when she was being attacked, the situation called for it? Did it matter, right now?

"What are you thinking about?" His voice was gruff, quiet.

She looked up to meet his eyes, a wild blue like the ocean in a torrential storm. "You."

Something crossed his features, something untamed and fervent. It made her shiver down to her toes. He raised his hands from where they'd rested at his sides and placed them on her hips, pressing his fingers into her skin through the fabric that divided them but kept her at a distance. "Maybe you shouldn't think of me," he murmured. "I am nothing like Elijah."

She closed her eyes at his touch. "I never thought you were. I don't want you to be."

Sighing lightly, he brushed his lips over hers. "You should reconsider then."

"Why?"

"Because I am _not_ Elijah. Once I have you, I will not let you go."

A ghost of a smile passed over her lips. "Good."

He pulled her close, then, pressing a firm kiss to her lips, sliding his hands to the small of her back to push her body into his. Letting him take control, she allowed herself to be entrapped in his arms, returning his hard, burning kiss.

With a swift movement, he had her shoved up against a wall; a place she thought would become common for them. She didn't mind.

He slowly ran his hands down her legs, to the backs of her thighs until he hitched her up in his arms, pressing into her as a moan escaped her lips. She latched onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, threading her fingers into his hair. He tilted his head to the side, sucking on her neck, moving down to her collarbone.

AJ gasped as his tongue glided over her skin and his fingers breached the hem of her shirt, ghosting over the form of her body. They moved up and up, first removing her flimsy shirt and then skimming back to unlatch the hook on her bra before pulling it off her.

He couldn't help but moan at the sight of bare olive skin and rosy pink nipples that hardened at his touch. Never before did he think he could have someone so delicate in his hands. But now she was fire.

AJ was gasping as his hands explored her, warm on her body, feverish. A honey-warm swell gathered at the apex of her thighs, where she could feel him pressing in close to her even through his jeans. This was completely new to her, but she didn't have time to be nervous. Klaus's touch made everything feel right; natural.

He had leaned down and now had his lips around her nipple, swirling his tongue around it, nipping at it until she dug her fingernails into his arms. Smoothing his hands up her silky skin, he found his way back to her lips.

Seizing the moment to pull away, AJ kissed his jaw, the base of his throat, his collarbone. She tugged at his shirt and in a moment he had it off. His body was too tempting to resist; her hands ran over hard, chorded muscle, making her burn with need.

In the next instant, he had her on the bed. His arms were on either side of her, holding him above her as he stared into her bright eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

"Klaus," she breathed sultrily. "Are you asking if you can have me?"

His eyes, dark with craving, roamed over her bare chest, down to her covered legs.

She smiled. He didn't need to say anything. "Then take me already."

He had her jeans off in a flash and put his weight carefully on her as he reclaimed her lips. The feel of his hot bare skin on her own made her eyelids flutter shut and her body tremble. His fingers moved down her slowly, down her chest, her stomach, further and further until she had to clench the sheets in balled fists to keep from crying out.

There was no sense to this, no rationality, no certainty. There were only his fingers slipping down into her panties, to tease her wet lips before pushing two fingers inside her. She finally cried out, her body arching up, her hips bucking into him. He continued, pushing them in deeper each time, making her breathe hard and fast.

She tugged on the belt at his jeans and gasped again when her hands met his skin instead. Everywhere, she covered him with kisses. Back at his neck, she grazed her teeth against the sensitive skin and felt him harden further.

He removed his fingers and slid her panties down her legs, tossing them away. Then he finally entered her, thrusting into her. She gasped his name, completely taken over by the sensations overrunning her. She didn't have a single coherent thought other than how much more she wanted.

He continued to thrust into her, giving small groans of pleasure, sucking on her nipple before kissing her again. AJ met every thrust; their bodies were like puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly, making them one.

The swell between her thighs grew and grew. Klaus became faster and stronger, and before she knew it, she felt euphoric. She cried his name, her eyes pinched shut, her fingernails leaving red crescents in his shoulders.

Klaus breathed out shakily, dropping beside her on the bed, pulling her close. His breath was warm on her neck, making her quiver. As he pressed a kiss at the middle of her shoulder blades, he pulled the blankets up around them. Stroking a hand through her hair, he kept an arm around her waist. It was okay to finally touch her like this.

"Klaus," she said as steadily as she could, her eyes closed, feeling exhaustively at peace next to him. She was still processing the euphoric shockwaves he'd sent through her.

"Love?"

She turned her head and pressed a kiss to his lips. Not a heated, chaste kiss. But a loving, tender kiss.

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><p><strong>Okay, so you guys really have to let me know what you think of this. I'm <strong>_**dying**_** to know. It's a tad experimental I guess you could say... I don't know. (-: Review please! **


	16. Reflections

**A/N: **_**My apologies for the amount of time it's taken to get a new chapter up. I had a family emergency I've been tending to since Saturday. Anyway… **_**Thank you guys so much for the reviews again (especially to the people I can't message and thank)! I'm really glad you liked the last chapter—I wasn't so sure what you'd think! (Since I can't message you guys, I just have a few short responses) Britt: Sometimes I think you read my mind. Great ideas, and thank you! Boleyn: You completely understand the effect I wanted Klaus to have on AJ, but I think there **_**is**_** something to be said about the effect she has on him. Very nice! About Elijah… well I simply can't say. You'll have to find out. (-:**

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><p><strong>Sixteen<strong>

Waves broke on the sand outside, slowly reeling AJ from sleep. Klaus's arm was still wrapped around her, only now her head rested on his warm chest. Though she was awake, she kept her eyes closed and curled up closer to him, sighing quietly. His hand moved to brush her dark hair from her eyes and smoothed over the contours of her face; her eyebrows, her cheekbones, her nose, her lips, her chin. She smiled, and he traced that smile.

When she blinked up at him, she met blue eyes that were as weary as her own. But a good kind of weary, she thought. A _very_ good kind of weary. Reflecting back to last night, she couldn't suppress another smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him.

"Good morning," she mumbled with that smile into his chest.

His hands ghosted down her bare back in a pattern. "Good morning, love."

They were a tangle of sheets and blankets. Her muscles felt sore, like she'd run ten miles without stopping. It was a blissful soreness. She felt as if she were drifting on a cloud without a care in the world; something completely new to her. Running her fingers over the hard muscles in his chest, she sighed again. Why hadn't she given in to her emotions sooner? He made her feel the best she'd ever felt—and it wasn't just the sex. No, it was _him_. Being here in his arms, close to him. All was peaceful

All was peaceful, except him. She could feel how tense he was. Glancing back up, she found his eyes on the ceiling, his lips pressed together until they were white. She turned on her stomach and propped up on her elbows. If he registered her movement, he didn't show it. He continued to stroke her back absently. Reaching out, she brushed the backs of her fingers against his cheek. He only blinked.

"Klaus," she said quietly. "What's wrong?" A swell of anxiety immediately formed in her stomach. "Last night… did you not… Well, did you not _like_ it?"

He lightly caught the wrist belonging to the hand caressing his face and held it, not looking at her still. It made her feel worse. She bit her lip, growing unusually embarrassed. "Klaus, if you didn't—you should have just said so. I mean, it's not like—"

"Darling," he said finally, gently rubbing his thumb over her wrist where the blue-green vein was visible. "Do you really have to question that?"

She frowned at him. "You should have just said so, then."

His blue eyes finally found hers, rapt and surprised. "You misunderstand. I _did_ like it." He sat up against the head frame and pulled her up close to him, breathing in the scent of her hair. He closed his eyes and focused on her warm body. "More than I could tell you, certainly."

AJ peered up at him with confusion. "Then what's wrong?"

"You could say," he began with a small, sad smile, so uncharacteristic of Klaus, "I'm wondering when you'll realize it was a mistake."

"A _mistake_?"

"Yes," he said matter-of-factly, but with a twinge of disappointment. "A mistake. Don't say you don't honestly think so."

Staring at him with parted lips, she shook her head. "Do _you_ think so?"

"No," he laughed mirthlessly. She could feel it vibrate through his chest. "But I suppose that's why it is one."

"You're wrong."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Am I?"

"I don't think it was a mistake," she said earnestly. "I think… it was by far the best choice I've made in a very long time."

He paused. "Why would you say that?"

"Because it's the truth. That's how I feel about it. Really, Klaus, don't ruin the morning. I haven't felt this… right for years."

He stroked her hair. "Sometimes I don't understand you."

"Sometimes I think you understand me better than anyone else," she whispered. He didn't see her unease.

"That being said, there's something I'd like to tell you."

She looked back up at him, wary. "And that is?"

He smiled crookedly. "Your hair is a mess." He ruffled her bangs as she swatted at him with a laugh.

"I wouldn't say yours is much better," she countered with a smile. "And here I always thought vampires were the essence of flawlessness."

He ran his thumb over her lip pensively. "Nothing is without flaw."

She searched his eyes for meaning, but found none. "Something is still wrong," she noted quietly.

He sighed. "I only wonder that when you were with my brother—"

She stopped him. "I was never _with_ Elijah. Not like that."

"Then…" He froze, his eyes locked on hers. They were questioning. "Might I ask who you were with? Because I must say, I can tell a virgin apart from someone experienced…" He trailed off again, knowing to say no more.

AJ looked away, pinching her arm as hard as she could under the cover of the sheets and focused on the small amount of pain as a distraction from horror-filled thoughts. "It's not something I want to discuss."

He immediately clenched his hands, his eyes glinting with anger. "I swear, if Lucas wasn't already dead, I would kill him again. I would turn him into a vampire and torture him for an eternity. How did I miss that? How did I not come to know that part of your relationship with him? You never said he laid a hand on you like that. Not once. You should have and I would have dealt with it as it should have been dealt with."

"How do you do that?" she asked quietly, keeping her eyes averted from his seething features. "How do you understand things when no one else would get it? I didn't even have to hint at anything, and yet you know."

"When you think of him, sadness floods your eyes. Only a fool wouldn't notice."

"That's not true."

"It is," he said with a sharper tone than he meant. "All your friends are fools. They do not see you the way you are. They see the vizard, the mask."

She sat up a little and shifted to rest her forehead against his, breathing out slowly. "That's all they're meant to see. I'd be afraid if they saw anything else."

With his eyes on hers, he ran his hands down her body and watched her shiver. "What is it you'd be afraid of?"

She only smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before pulling back. "I'm going to take a shower."

Though his question went unanswered, he smiled wickedly. "You know, I was just thinking the same thing."

Exhilaratingly warm water poured from the shower head, making AJ close her eyes in elation as it eased her exhausted muscles. It was merely the tiniest fraction of the way she'd felt last night, but it was still her relaxation. She knew she only had a quick minute before Klaus would expectedly join her. He'd had to make a call to Rebekah first.

She kept her head under the flow of water, holding her breath as it enveloped her entirely. The bathroom was surprising large for the diminutive size of the house, but so was the master (and only) bedroom. Amused, she wondered if the previous occupants had been lovers. The house already proved to be a remarkable place for _that_.

She smoothed down her wet hair as she breathed in again. It was then that arms wrapped around her and kisses trailed over her shoulder blades. A small gasp escaped her lips as the entirety of the previous night refilled her senses.

Through her growing shallow breathing, which the steam in the shower only exuberated, she spoke. "How is Rebekah? Is she okay?"

Klaus faltered a moment before continuing his attack on her body. His hot skin felt even more sensuous wet. "She didn't answer. I think she's mad at me."

"We shouldn't have left her behind. Big brothers don't do that."

"We shouldn't be talking."

His hands made their way down her body, resting on her hips before grazing skin until reaching the apex of her thighs. AJ, facing away from him, rested her hands on the porcelain of the shower and moaned as she tried to remain standing. She shook her head.

"Klaus—after last night—I don't think…"

"Relax," he purred in her ear. "I'm going to let you think if it was a mistake or not. But in the meantime… I wanted to explore your imagination."

She couldn't stop her smile. "That really doesn't seem to give me much time to think, now does it?"

"No?" His tone was devious. "Well, I suppose I didn't think this through, then. How terribly inconsiderate of me. But it seems simply I can't help myself."

AJ turned herself around, facing him. His hair was dark and dripping. Drops of water streamed down from his forehead, his neck, his body. It made his eyes even bluer, more rapt.

In this moment, watching the way he looked at her with such intensity, what had really occurred between them dawned on her: Klaus had broken through her biggest fear about intimacy and she had allowed him to without giving it a second thought. There had been no fear last night—there had never been any true fear with Klaus. She didn't want to think about how it'd been the same with Elijah because this seemed different. This seemed… like it fit. Like she fit in Klaus's arms as if she were meant to be there. She was stunned by this; since when did she think like a romance movie?

But it was true.

Klaus caressed her face and tilted his head down to catch her eyes once more as they refocused on him. "What is it?"

She smiled. "Nothing. You should just know that I have a _very_ big imagination." His lips tugged up sinfully. Before he could lean down and capture her lips, she stepped back, her back up against the cold wall of the shower. "And right now, I'm imagining some wonderful restaurant in town so that we can get some breakfast."

He pursed his lips. "I seem to have a different kind of hunger this morning."

"I know you do," she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck again. "Which is why I'm hoping you'll still want more later."

He stepped forward and his teeth nibbled at her ear. "Oh, I don't know. Now seems like a better time than any. Why wait until later?"

"Because," she breathed as she tried to restrain herself from allowing him to talk her into it, "later will be much better. I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that." He still hadn't taken his hands off of her.

"I was hoping you would."

* * *

><p>"You can't glare at every man who looks at me," AJ said reasonably as she and Klaus walked down a sidewalk in the midst of the chilly waterside town. He kept a firm arm around her to fend off her shivers since she'd insisted on not needing a jacket. She glanced up at him, now, amused to find that his eyes were boring into a young man's, whom AJ admitted to herself was extremely attractive. "It's my magnitude. People simple feel the need to stop and stare."<p>

Klaus gave her a dark look. "Perhaps you don't actually see the way they're looking at you. Have you ever? It's as if you're their toy to make of as they like."

AJ couldn't stifle a laugh. "And this bothers you? Since when did anything bother you? Don't tell me your going _soft, _now."

He leaned down so that his mouth was at her ear, his warm breath sending longing shivers through her entire body. "Oh, I'd say just the opposite, love. You must realize that you are mine now. As I said, I will not let you go."

AJ stopped, and since his arm was wrapped around her, he stopped with her. She stared up at him, biting her bottom lip. A certain possessiveness was in his eyes, she realized, not just downright loathing for those who'd try to furtively watch her as they walked along the street. Klaus was possessive over her. _Very_ possessive. Oddly, it made her feel the slightest bit giddy.

Leaning up on her toes, she placed a kiss on his cheek. "I don't want to go. I want you."

"I imagine you really haven't thought that through yet, then," he said almost teasingly. "Most would run away if given the chance. They wouldn't choose to stay."

_"Most_ is a term rarely ever used when referring to me. I'm sure you know that by now."

There was a pause as he brushed his fingers over her cheek. Then his voice came out lower, almost gruffer. "Yes, I do know. But it'd be wise for you to take time to think. I'll… not hold you _hostage_."

She nearly grinned. "You say that now."

"Very true. I may yet change my mind."

AJ huffed, rolling her eyes. "I know you're trying to see if I've changed mine," she said as she took his hand in hers and began down the street once more. "Once I make up my mind, Klaus, I usually remain that way. What are you so worried about?"

An abstruse look crossed his features. It was quickly gone. "The mind is fickle thing," he said simply, with a resolute tone.

_That_ conversation was ended, for now, AJ thought. She frowned down at a spider-web crack in the sidewalk she stepped over before squeezing his hand. How long had it been since she felt this… renewed? This alive and full of vitality? Years. She couldn't even remember a time when she'd truly been happy. Was it a little foolish of her, given that Klaus had probably once considered murdering her months ago, before the sacrifice?

She didn't care for those thoughts. Glancing down at his hand that engulfed hers, she found she didn't care. Klaus made her feel real again. He made her feel whole. No one had ever made her feel that way. Not even Elijah.

An outward cringe couldn't be precluded from etching her features.

"What is it?" Klaus was quick to notice.

She shrugged. "It's nothing."

"You act even more relaxed when you're lying than when you aren't," he pointed out. "I'm no fool."

Pressing her lips together, she looked towards a shop window. "I didn't say you were."

A moment later, she forced, however gently, into facing him. He backed her up slowly until she could feel the cold window of the shop behind her, and placed his hands on her hips, pinning her to the surface.

"You're not very forthcoming," he said in that gruff tone that made her insides melt. She remained as impassive as possible. "So I'd like to find a means to entice something out of you."

She gave him a small, impish smile. "Here? Of all places? It's the middle of the afternoon. There's still a lot of people out."

"Worried about having an audience? I never really thought you were shy."

There was a defiant glint in her eye. "More like I find it's too cold out."

"You're already relying on my body heat as it is…" he leaned down and pressed a kiss the place just below her jaw. She had to fight the urge to simply give in, an emotion he so often aroused in her. "Might as well make it more… accommodating."

"Accommodating for who?" She tried to breathe steadily. "You?"

"The both of us. I find I'm rather curious about your swift change in mood. Something's bothering you and you're not going to share. But what if I did this?" His mouth trailed from her jaw, down her neck, to her collarbone. It left an icy feeling in its wake, and she knew this was the bait. He dipped even lower, threatening to breach the hem of her low-cut shirt. Already he was sucking on the sensitive skin just above her breast.

AJ steeled herself. "Are you always used to winning?"

"I'm very used to fighting for what I want," he answered slowly, purposely drawing out the words. "I feel I must warn you, I fight plenty dirty though."

She couldn't help but smile, but quickly masked it. "And right now? What is it that you want?"

"An answer to my question."

"Which was?" _Oh_, he knew exactly where her sensitive spots were. So swiftly had he become an expert on her body. She clenched her fists as his warm hands moved under her shirt. The often passerby gave them unmasked looks of near-disturbance. Maybe Astoria, Oregon was really conservative.

"What's bothering you?" he asked hotly against her skin.

"At the moment," she sounded only a little out of breath and felt equally victorious for the fact, "you."

He gave a dark chuckle at this, which only served to tickle her skin with the stubble on his jaw. Biting back a small moan, she shook her head. "Maybe you've been right all along. Maybe last night was a mistake, if you're going to try to ravish me any where you like."

He paused for only a second, his warm breath tickling the skin below the neckline of her shirt. "Is that admittance?"

"It's a fact," she stated. "Isn't it?"

She could feel him smile. Pinching her eyes shut, she tried to ignore the throbbing between her thighs, the goosebumps that rose on her skin, the heat coming off of him. It made her head swirl with indiscernible emotions.

"I'll tell you a fact. You want this, right now. Don't you?"

AJ groaned. "At least I'm not trying to strip you every second I see the chance to. Do you have any self control?"

"In regards to you, it seems not."

She had a retort on her lips, but then Klaus was there instead. He kissed her madly, threading his fingers into her hair, pulling her body against his. It was this new feeling he couldn't let go, the feeling of being so connected to this girl. He could be content with just kissing her, with having her kiss him in return, because she wanted him too. He had not compelled her, and yet she wanted him. She had no obligations to him, and yet she wanted to stay. It was wrong, he knew, but there was something utterly right about it that forced any feeling of retreat to the back of his mind. She was his now. She would be his forever, and forever would no longer be so lonely.

Unable to fight him, AJ kissed him back. She could feel the stares of those sharing the sidewalk with them on her, but she didn't care. Maybe she could get used to this and the way it precluded her from worrying or thinking of anything else. She could get used to being so absorbed in Klaus, the way his nimble fingers moved over her body, the way he held her. Maybe. But it seemed now, as he went rigid against her, he was not absorbed in _her_.

She pulled back and looked up at him. He still held her pinned to his body, but his eyes were on the door of a pub just a few shops down. It was obvious he was listening to something by the way his glare went icy. "Klaus—"

"Hush," he said quickly. He released her without a glance. A small smile spread over his lips in the next minute; it was a smile that reminded her of death. Finally, his eyes returned to her. "It seems we may not be staying in Astoria for as long as I originally planned."

She wasn't sure if her hopes sank at this or not. What exactly had she hoped would happen? "Why not?"

"Because I've just found the head of another pack of wolves," he glanced once more at the pub door. "And I think I'd like to go make friends."

AJ pressed her lips together as images of Ray came back to her; ugly, bloody, smelling of death and decaying, begging and pleading for the end of it, his skin sickly white and his eyes dull and lifeless. Ray had been the pack leader for the wolves meeting in Tennessee. Now he was dead.

"I can't let you do that," she said in a whisper. "I can't let you slaughter more people."

"I won't. You see, my love," he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "I've figured out what I've done wrong. They shall live. They will be revitalized."

She knew he meant it was Elena's blood. Vaguely, she remembered him explaining it to her as they had made their way to this town. Why it hadn't bothered her then, she wasn't sure. Why it didn't bother her now, she didn't know. She only watched as Klaus pressed a kiss to her forehead before heading to the door of the pub and pushing inside.

Something compelled her to turn to the store front beside her. In its window lined front wall, she could see her reflection. She looked different than usual. Happier, maybe. Definitely happier. There was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there in months—no, years. But then she saw _it_. It was her eyes. Her eyes were the difference. She could see the darkness glint within them that she'd long ago thought she'd been rid of. But it was back. It was back, and it was thriving. This was what she had been afraid of.

Hurriedly, she pushed her way into the pub after Klaus. Then she stopped. Standing there in the doorway, she wondered how he'd come to accept this news. Would he be as worried as she was, as bent on making the darkness go away? Or would he embrace it as if he'd been waiting all along for her to give in to it?

Maybe she, too, had been waiting for such an opportunity.

* * *

><p><strong>Hrm, so what do you think right now? I cannot wait to write the next few chapters because I know you guys will be surprised about <strong>_**some**_** things (I really hope so), but was this chapter utterly terrible? Or did you gather something from it? Would more people like it if there was more AJ/Klaus time…? Let me know! (:**


	17. Half of Me, Not All of Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. If I did, Elijah would have been back much sooner. **

**A/N: So, no love for the last chapter? I didn't get many reviews. You guys can always tell me what I'm doing **_**wrong**_**, too! For the reviews I did get, they're much appreciated! **

* * *

><p><strong>Seventeen<strong>

AJ stood on the threshold of the pub. A faint wind from outside ghosted past her, giving her the chills, making her shiver unrelentingly. There was laughter coming from the high-top tables and the animated voice of a sports announcer talking about some player she didn't know on one of the several flat screen TVs, making everything seem nearly normal. It almost felt like she stepped into the Grille, if only for a moment.

Her eyes were locked on Klaus, who was chatting away with a man who must be the werewolf. The man had spiky black hair and framed dark eyes indiscernible from this distance. He wore black gloves over his hands with silver spikes on the knuckles. Contrary to the way his appearance gave off a dark impression, she could see a certain amicableness about him. Maybe not an exact kindness, but something close enough to it.

That would hardly matter to Klaus.

Letting out a long breath, AJ stepped back outside and into the cold once more. It felt like she plunged straight into arctic water, though it did nothing to clear her muddled thoughts. Her head swam with images not yet transpired, but ones that had lurked on the edge of her mind ever since she had split in half and had these two warring sides within, years ago. Images of her succumbing to the darkness, the hollowness inside. Images of her watching as walls cascaded with blood, and she didn't bother to stop it, because why would she want to? Dark, horrific images filled her mind's eyes, making her outwardly shudder.

Would she ever be capable of such things?

She chose to head back to the beach house as she rubbed at her arms. People walked to and fro in a leisurely pace, content with their lives and everything in it. Maybe this was just one angle of that teenage girl laughing along with her group of friends as they were laden down with shopping bags and huge grins, but it was still an angle AJ was jealous of. She couldn't have that normal life anymore. She never really had it.

What did she have?

What had happened to her? She thought over the last few days with a frown. Klaus. Klaus had happened to her. But this darkness within—did that mean _he_ brought that out in her? All this time that she'd fended him off, she'd been just fine. And now that she gave into him, the emotions she felt for him, that need for his mere presence that strummed through her body constantly, she was broken again. She was dangerous. Was that his doing?

The answer was simple. No.

Klaus could do a lot of things, but he couldn't make her feel that way about him. He wouldn't. No, Klaus didn't do this to her. She just gave up her inner fight without even realizing it. She'd surrendered and let the darkness begin its reign. How completely reckless! Did she really think that those problems had gone away, that she'd somehow been mended back together the way a surgeon could mend skin and tissue? She _had_ thought that. So she had let her guard down and let the darkness seep into her heart, suck out all the light like a leach; like a parasite that wanted to replace it. Though she had done it unknowingly, it was still very much her fault. This was her fault.

She wanted to bury her face in her hands and just scream. She couldn't do anything right. Not a thing. She'd driven her friends away when they'd needed her most because she'd been so absorbed in Elijah. She'd driven Elijah away because her attentions had turned to Klaus. Now she might drive Klaus away because all of this happened because of what was inside of her. Because she was truly broken in the simplest terms, yet most complex and profound way.

The house wasn't far. She was close to the small wood that wove its way from the back porch to the canopy-covered top of a steep hill. There weren't any people around anymore. Just the occasional biker or couple walking together, hand in hand. She stared at the couple as she walked, knowing she would never have that. Not because Klaus wasn't the let's-take-a-stroll kind of guy, but because she didn't deserve it. She more readily deserved death than anything else.

Something screamed from inside the small forest. The reason she thought it more of a _something_ than a _someone_ was because she'd never heard a human scream in such way before. It was beyond sounding agonizing—it was beyond being tortured. Something horrible was happening.

AJ stopped at the edge of the forest, her entire body tensed as she stared into its shadowed innards. It wouldn't be safe for her to go in.

_Safe? _The word appalled her. The entire thought ashamed her. Since when did she care if anything was _safe_ for her?

_Since the darkness took over._

In an instant, she had made up her mind. Steeling herself, she darted into the forest. She would be good-AJ. She would stop this, whatever this was. The darkness couldn't control her.

Although it was mid-afternoon, the forest made it feel like she'd ducked into a land of nighttime. The canopy overhead was so thick that hardly any sunlight broke through to the forest floor. Where it did, patches of bright green grass grew along with the occasional wildflowers. Everywhere else was filled with dead things—toppled logs, crisp brown leafs and twigs. It was as cold as death, too.

The scream came again, somewhere to her right. It made her blood run icy and a shiver went down her spine. Something was really off. This didn't feel right to her. Still, she gritted her teeth and continued on, hopping over a log or two, shoving through prickly bushes and knee-high weeds.

It seemed that her darker side had a sense of self-preservation she'd never realized before. All the times she'd done the most idiotic stunts, she had wondered if maybe it had been her darker side urging her on, encouraging it. But self-preservation was weakness. It was selfishness. She was neither of those things, and yet every atom in her body wanted her to turn back, to save herself.

She wouldn't do it.

Another scream. Maybe what was bothering her was the fact that this person wasn't screaming for help. They were screaming like there was no end to their torment, there was no rescue for them. It was dreadful.

Beneath her boots, leaves crunched and twigs snapped. Every time there was a popping _snap!_ she was reminded of bones breaking or Stefan's neck being twisted until he lie contorted on the floor of that musty old truck.

"Hello?" she called out. It'd been several seconds since the last scream, leaving her uneasy. The forest whispered with wind from every direction. "Where are you?" Maybe it was unwise to pull any attention to herself—it was, since part of her was thinking exactly that—but she called out louder. "_Where are you_!"

"_No!_" Someone wailed—a girl. "_No!_ Go _away! _Get away! You _have_ to run!" Sobs followed, a pitiful, heart wrenching sound.

AJ picked up the pace, turning forty-five degrees to the right as she took off in a sprint. The girl was close.

Hairs on the back of her neck pricked up on end. _This isn't right this isn't right this isn't right._ A terribly insidious feeling crept over her.

The forest was very small. She broke through to a triangular clearing within seconds. The sun poured through to the green grass, the flowers. There was a pond several paces to her left. But that wasn't what nearly stopped her heart and took her breath away. She gazed wide eyed and speechless at the gory scene before her.

This is impossible. This can't be right. It can't be happening.

But it was.

There was a great grey boulder standing upright in front of her, several feet away. Its surface was smooth and straight, like a chalky wall. A girl was bound to it. Her blood stained the grey rock, making it shades darker as it trickled down to the grass below. Her body was a mess; a serial killer's artwork. She was full of deep, scarlet red wounds and lesions. Some were so deep the sinew of muscle could be seen beneath, or the bloodstained ivory of bone. Her left shoulder drooped, sickly dislocated from the rest of her body. The clothes she wore were tattered and torn. She moaned and cried in pain through gritted teeth. Her dark hair fell around her face. It was plastered to her head with sweat and gore. Bangs stuck to her forehead, nearly masking her eyes.

AJ knew those eyes. They were her own.

* * *

><p>"Keep walking, mate," Klaus directed the werewolf absently as his eyes searched the street for AJ. "You'll only serve to make things infinitely worse for yourself if you refuse."<p>

The entire street, for as far as he could see, was void of any dark haired girl with eyes that shone like sunlight shimmering down on a lake in the brightest of days. Whenever he looked in those eyes, he saw the blues and greens and grays and deep browns, superimposed by those golden specks as if they were a pond of water catching the reflections of everything around them. They'd captivated him in the oddest way the first time he'd seen her. Those eyes were missing right now. He pressed his lips together, hard.

Maybe she was angry with him.

Klaus pushed the werewolf in impatience, making him walking faster.

"Man, you have to understand—I don't want anything to do with this. I told you where the pack is going to meet, but you have to let me—"

"Tell me," Klaus said tersely as he decided AJ most likely headed back to the beach house. "Do all werewolves like hanging about bars? I found my last one there. He was more entertaining, though. Wouldn't talk for hours. I think I'd appreciate that right about now."

Blake, the werewolf, swallowed loudly. A sheen of sweat appeared at his forehead, and his raven-black spikes seemed to wilt. His eyeliner had smeared and he had bitten his black-painted nails down to the nail beds. He walked stiffly in the direction Klaus shoved him in.

"W—what do you plan to do with me?" Blake asked, his voice a raspy whisper.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Well first, I'd like to find my girl. You don't mind if we take a little detour, do you?" Blake only trembled. "I didn't think so. Then, you, I and she will head to—oh where did you say it was? Portland?"

"Y—yes." Blake pinched his eyes shut. He still couldn't believe this was happening.

"Good. Then we'll all head to Portland and see if we can make use of some blood I have stored away. You don't need to worry, Blake," Klaus patted him on the back roughly. "You'll like it. I promise."

Blake said nothing. Klaus was thankful for the silence. He kept his eyes out for AJ but couldn't help running things over in his head as a small bout of worry grew in his heart—something that had _never_ happened before. He would have deduced the feeling to weakness once, but she'd shown him that it wasn't weak to care for someone. Not at all.

It had been extremely unwise of him to leave her outside, by herself. Any number of things could have happened. The first that came to mind would be Elijah. Elijah could have realized his mistake in losing her and came looking for her. But the mere contemplation was absurd. He had made certain that Elijah would never be able to lay a hand on her again after he had left her that night at the school. He'd even reunited him with the rest of the family, a thing Elijah hardly deserved.

"What—what _is_ that?" Blake asked suddenly. His ears had perked up almost as if he were in wolf state. His tanned skin went paper-white. "Do you hear that, man? What the hell?"

Klaus stopped and listened. He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts he hadn't registered the strange noise. It sounded like a mix between stifling a scream and sobbing. He knew exactly where it was coming from.

Pushing the werewolf forward so that they moved rapidly, Klaus headed to the forest.

* * *

><p>AJ's mouth had gone bone dry. She stared back at herself with wide, terrified eyes. <em>This isn't possible.<em>

Once or twice, she'd tried stepping forward, tried to remove this illusion from her head like it was a mirage and she just needed to be more mindful of herself. It wouldn't go away. In fact, it seemed to become more real with every passing second.

Her feet were glued to the ground. The initial shock hadn't yet worn off.

"You have to go," the girl—_herself—_said in a plaintive whisper. Their eyes met and AJ could see her own desperation, her own agony, her own slow and horrible death. "_Please_."

AJ stammered. Finally her feet moved and carried her forward, to herself. To the part of herself that was bound to stone and shredded and bleeding. Slowly, she reached out to see how terrible this trick of the mind had affected her head. When she pulled her hand back, it was a glove of hot, sticky blood. There was so much of it that she could even _smell_ it. She thought she would wretch.

She looked up again, meeting her reflective eyes. "How—"

"Alex," the girl said. "Alexandra. Please go. Before they come back. You don't have time."

AJ blinked. "Alexandra?" A J. Alexandra Jaeger. What did that have to do with this? "What are you?" AJ demanded, but her voice came out in a waver. She kept glancing down at the muscle spilling from the girl's leg, the blood flowing like a river from a lesion across her stomach. It was too, too real. "Before who comes back?"

The girl laughed, then, but choked just as quickly when blood gurgled out of her mouth. AJ felt specks of it splatter her face and had to resist the urge to gag. The girl sniveled. "Don't you get it, yet? Don't you see? This isn't over. It'll never be over. We're broken, Alex. We're—"she fell into a fit of coughing, but AJ understood.

"Damned," AJ finished, her voice hollow. Her eyes roamed over her own body. "This is our punishment."

"So you do see," the girl's voice was raspy. "What we've done—we can never be forgiven. And what we'll have to be…. Alex, you have to leave him. Leave him now."

AJ's eyebrows pulled together. "Leave—you mean Klaus? Why?" When she blinked again, she realized she shouldn't sound so incredulous. She was having a conversation with her tortured self, after all.

"Lies," the girl whispered. Her eyes flicked around them nervously, as if she could see things that AJ couldn't see. "Too many lies. Too much death."

AJ didn't know what to say—_was_ there anything to say? Could she defend Klaus? He had lied to her, yes. So had Elijah. But why the both of them? What was it exactly that they were keeping from her?

"You know what it is," the girl said, as if reading AJ's mind. "You can still save yourself."

AJ shook her head. "I don't know what it is—I don't understand—"

All at once, pain overwhelmed AJ. The illusion's pupils before her shrank and grew. Then, AJ could feel the tear in muscle, the skin ripping off her bone, the shredding through organs and veins. She folded to her knees, crying out until she screamed. Why was this happening? Why now? What did she do? She was damned. That's what. She was damned.

There were no surroundings, only pain and redness. She could hear nothing but her own stifled screams. She could feel nothing but the slow incisions being cut into her body. She could only taste blood and smell death and fear herself. She'd done this to herself.

Then a warm hand was placed on her arm, another on her back. Words were being murmured to her in a voice she recognized but couldn't quite discern. AJ tried responding but choked on a boil of blood.

Everything seemed to dull. The redness that'd filtered her eyesight began to fade and the pain lessened. She could hear as if listening underwater.

"AJ, love," it was Klaus speaking in a low, rapid voice. "AJ you have to wake up. You must wake up. You're—"

She sucked in a huge breath and rocked backwards, falling into Klaus's encompassing arms. He pulled her close, holding her tight. When she blinked open her eyes, her head had fallen back and she stared up at him. There was something in his eyes she had never seen before: fear. Klaus was afraid. But why?

"What happened?" she asked. Her eyes only fixated on him, his pale blue ones.

Klaus shook his head. "I thought you could tell me."

AJ blinked again and looked back towards the bolder that she'd been bound to. It wasn't there. Nothing was but the start of the forest again. Her lips parted and she wanted to raise her arm to point at it, but it felt laden down with stones. Where did the girl go? The blood? What was coming back for them? There were so many questions she still had. Had it all been an illusion? It had to have been—it'd been _herself._

"What happened to you, AJ?" Klaus murmured, glancing down at her worriedly.

AJ shook her head. But when she returned her eyes to his, she found he was staring at the ground, where her hand rested.

Something hot and sticky clung to her hand. She glanced down, too. It was covered in fresh blood.

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><p><strong>Hmm… So what do you think? A lot of this was kind of like an allegory… It shall be explained later on. Anyway, thoughts? Reviews please? (-: *(Also! I have several new stories. One is for LOST, another for Twilight. You can check out my page. And I'm also working another another ElijahOC fic. I'll post it soon. Just wanted to let you guys know!)**


	18. Misgivings

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: I know I say this a **_**ton**_**, but I love the reviews! Thank you! :D**

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><p><strong>Eighteen<strong>

Klaus's eyes never left AJ for a second. He stood in the doorway between the bedroom and kitchen, staring as she packed what little things she had in a slow, calm manner that oddly made him the slightest bit anxious. He could see her furtively eye a bloody rag she'd tossed in a garbage bin a few minutes ago that she had used to remove the unexplained blood from her hand. She looked at it like an arachnophobe would look at a spider.

"You haven't said much," he said to break their seemingly interminable silence, his arms crossed over his chest. When she didn't respond, he frowned. Then he glanced back at the kitchen table where he had forced Blake, the werewolf, to sit and stay. Blake's elbows were on the table and his head was in his hands. "He took to liking you much more than myself. Maybe you could cheer the fellow up."

"Why?" she asked finally, throwing her shirt from the previous day on top of the small pile. "Because that's what I usually do? Maybe that part of me is gone. Ever think about that?"

Klaus was taken aback by the bitterness in her tone. She caught on quickly and averted her eyes to the floor once more, attempting to busy herself again. Only a moment passed before he was in front of her, catching her small wrists gently with fingers that encircled them completely. She wouldn't look at him.

"AJ," he prodded. "Look at me." She kept her head down, her eyes shut, as if praying. "AJ," he implored now. "Please."

She lifted her head. Something was still off with her eyes, he noticed. It'd been that way since she had woken up beside him that morning. He thought that maybe it had been regret—maybe she realized that he was a mistake for her. She had this almost abnormal need to save people, to constantly pay repentance as if she'd done some kind of sinfully terrible thing. He didn't think she even saw it that way.

H_e_ was the killer, the villain. It would only make sense that she would feel regret for sleeping with him. But she had insisted she didn't, and he almost came to believe her.

What else could it be?

"You've been looking at me differently ever since last night," he said quietly, brushing his fingers under her chin. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong. What's wrong with Blake? That's his name, right?"

Klaus sighed. "You're being deflective. You've been deflective all day. Tell me."

When she looked back up at him, that familiar defiant glint in her eye was there. "Or what?"

More deflection. He could see what she was getting at. He knew what she wanted him to do next. Would she ever stop tempting him, challenging the very little self-restraint he had in regards to her? Even as he could see something was terribly off, he wanted her. He ground his teeth together until shots of pain went through his mouth, his jaw. It was hardly anything compared to what he'd felt in his thousand years of living. It had to be enough right now.

Removing his hands from her, he stepped out of the intimate closeness they'd been in and put space between them. Her lips tugged down in a frown. She shook her head, looking out the window.

"What do you want from me, Klaus?"

"The truth," he said, searching her face. "You said you tripped in the forest. You were taking a shortcut back here. What really happened?"

"What makes you think that isn't the truth?"

He had to resist the raw impulse to hit something. Instead, his frustration came out in his voice. "Because there was blood on your hand that you haven't yet explained to me! Because you kept saying things—things that didn't make sense! And now you're lying to me about what happened. Why?"

AJ bit her lip. "What do you plan to do?"

He blinked at her incomprehensively. "What?"

"What do you plan to do," she said again with more vigor, "with Blake. The werewolves. Your father. What are you going to do?"

"How does that have any significance right now?"

"Because," she sighed. "I think I was being… warned."

Klaus withdrew his restraint and stepped to her again, cupping her face in his hands, once more worried. "What are you talking about? Warned by who? About what?"

"Klaus," she said carefully, considering. "Have you noticed anything different about me? Anything at all?"

Pressing his lips together, he looked down at her hands. One still had chips of blood under her fingernails. The scent was familiar. "You're holding back. But I don't think that's very new."

She shut her eyes and when they reopened, he saw that strange, alien thing within. "_Look_ at me," she implored. "Don't you see it?"

"Is this your way of telling me you've made your decision?" The words left his mouth before he could stop them. "That it truly was a mistake?"

"That—no!" She was appalled by what she put in his head. "Klaus, no. I want to be with you." She stopped herself, suddenly, as if realizing what she just said.

Klaus was frozen in place. Those words had never really been spoken to him before. He'd never been wanted. He had only the bastard child of his mother, the object of his father's hate. In the amount of years he had lived, he hadn't imagined a creature such as AJ would ever say those words to him.

Before he could say anything, she was speaking again. "It's just… things are different now. With _me_."

"Different how?"

She smiled sadly. "Well, I guess you could say they're the same. Like how they used to be." Then she held a hand in a fist over her heart, looking troubled. "And… and I don't know what you'll think. What you'll want."

"AJ… please just say plainly what you mean. I'm afraid I don't understand."

A strange stir of nervousness came over Klaus when he caught her apprehension. This wasn't like her.

Her hands slipped down to grasp his. She stared at them raptly. "What if I weren't good anymore, Klaus? What if my… darker side took over?"

He gently removed one hand from hers and tilted her chin up again, making her meet his eyes. "That would never happen."

Those eyes that caught everything seemed to light up a little, but there was still profound sadness within. "What if it did?"

That was it, he realized. It was her eyes. The way she'd been holding herself, her shoulders, her stride. He could see it now, clearly. "It's come back," he stated. "That split in your soul. It's returned."

"Yes," she whispered hollowly, looking forlorn.

"And you think that I want that?"

Stepping away from him, she went to the window. There were grey clouds above, but the sun was fighting its way through. "I always thought that the only reason you've bothered to come this far with me was because… well that you were hoping…"she trailed off, unable to say the words she knew might hurt him.

"That you'd be like me." Klaus stared at her, unmoving. In the kitchen, he could hear Blake scrounging around for food, shuffling through cabinets. At the moment, he wanted to tear the werewolf in half for disturbing his thoughts.

AJ knew what he was. She had seen the things he inflicted upon others. Yet, still she remained there, by his side. She'd even given herself to him, mind, body, and soul. She'd trusted him with that much. But if she could do that, how could she think so terrible of him? How could she think he was that much of a monster?

"Love," his voice was gruff, his emotions alien. Comfort wasn't something he was an expert in. "You are unlike any creature I've ever come across. Do you know that?"

Her look was wry. "Because I'm broken? Yeah, I figured."

"No. Because… you don't ever give up. You don't give in. You've been through hell and worse and yet you still find it in you to _be_ you. Do you realize that?"

She shook her head. "I gave into you."

He paused. "Is that the way you see it, then? That I was something to give into? Not something… _someone_, you wanted?"

"I told you I want to be with you, Klaus. I want you. But I gave into what I was feeling without realizing the cost."

"Which is?"

Her hands clenched at her sides with her back still turned to him. He knew this was what kept her steeled. It kept her deep emotions out. He knew her well enough by now.

"Tell me what your plan is," she demanded.

Would he always give her what she wanted? "I have Elena's blood. I need hybrids. They'll give me an advantage over my father."

A line appeared between her eyebrows as she turned to him. "Why do you need an advantage over him? Why exactly does he want to kill you?"

Klaus breathed in slowly, lacing his fingers together. He sat on the bed. It was a talk he had been avoiding ever since she had that dream, back above Gloria's bar. She wouldn't look at him the same. She finally would see him as a monster. There would be no more wanting, no more desire to be close to him. Only repugnance and loathing.

AJ caught on to the change and joined him. He didn't know how to start. He never told anyone this. He never had to answer anything. But she deserved the truth, didn't she?

"My mother," he said finally. "You know that she was the Original witch. You know she was unfaithful to my father, hence how I came to be. When he found out, he hated me more than he had before. I think a part of him always knew I wasn't his blood. My mother—she had to please him. She loved him dearly, but he always needed pleasing. So she turned her back on me."

AJ placed her hand over his, stroking her thumb over his skin. "Klaus, I'm so—"

"Let me finish," he said quickly, though softly. "She turned her back on me. Then we were changed—we were vampires, and I, a hybrid. She knew this and what it would come to mean. So she put an enchantment on me. I could only be half of what I was. It was then I knew whatever love she'd had for me had left her. So I killed her."

Shock filled the silence that followed. Her hand rested upon his, unmoving. No longer did she want to comfort him. He had known this would happen. How could she even touch the very hands that had killed countless many?

"But—"she stopped, looking down at the sun pendant. "But she did love you. Why else would she give you this?"

His lips tugged up sadly. "Yes, I've come to realize that. Which makes it even more tragic, yes?"

AJ rested her head on his shoulder, surprising him. "You're family is very complicated. I think almost everything that's happened to all of you has been tragic."

He hadn't expected understanding. How could she get it? How could she not make him out for what he was?

How did he deserve her? He didn't. He knew, deep, deep down, that he should tell her about Elijah; that he was dead. But one look at her, and he didn't want to. He wasn't sure what sort of lasting effect it could have on this new relationship of theirs.

He would not allow anything to get in the way.

Pulling her closer, he didn't care in that moment if it was right or wrong. "Your turn."

AJ shifted slightly. "For what?"

"The truth."

* * *

><p>AJ's eyes were closed. With her head resting on Klaus's shoulder, she felt at peace. She felt safe and strong, as if nothing could touch her. But the image of that girl—of <em>herself—<em>kept returning, making her feel weak and unsure.

Klaus hadn't expressed how he felt about the return of her darkness. He'd said no word about which way he saw it. But there had been no happiness in his eyes when she told him and that gave her faith.

"I was on my way back here," she said. "It was after I figured out that I'm… broken again. I just wanted to sort out my thoughts while you talked to Blake. I heard a scream from the forest. So I went in, even though half of me didn't want to. What I found was… disturbing." She stopped, remembering the way her shoulder had been disconnected from the rest of her body, the way muscle stuck out of her leg and blood poured from a scatter of wounds. Torture was one of mankind's ugliest creations. "I found myself, simply put. It was a trick. The _Lemurė_ figured out a way to hijack my brain, I think. Instead of trying to kill me, though, they made me—the girl—say… strange things. About you."

Klaus had tensed. "They're trying to create conflict," he tried to reason. "Their words mean nothing. You shouldn't worry yourself over it."

"So you're saying that there couldn't be any truth to their words? None at all?"

Klaus took her hands and pressed a kiss to them, looking her in the eyes. "Do you doubt me?"

She turned away. "I don't know. I doubt myself most days."

"Might I ask something?" She nodded. "Your hand had blood on it. It dried, just under your fingernails. Why do you have your own blood on your hands?"

AJ was stunned. "How can you—"

"Your scent is very unique," he explained. "Your blood is… rich. But you haven't been wounded. How else could it have gotten there?"

AJ raised her hand to eye-level, examining it with hesitance. _It's a symbol_. She knew that much. The feeling hadn't yet left her—the feeling of hot, sticky blood covering her hand like she had dipped it in a bucketful, like it had been pasted to her skin. To know that it was really and truly her own blood made her feel nauseated. Now she was certain of what the spirits were trying to tell her.

She would be the cause of her own self-destruction when that day came. It would be no one's fault but her own. The idea had been on her mind for years—what this good and bad side of her would do. How the war would end. Instead of sharing this, she only shook her head.

"I have no idea."

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><p>Blake had been less than willing to get inside the truck Klaus procured so they could make their way into the city of Portland. It was a multiple hour drive from Astoria. AJ took the time to get to know the werewolf a little better and catch up on much needed sleep.<p>

As it turned out, Blake was very similar in some ways to the now dreadfully deceased Ray. Although Ray hadn't had a goth-punk-emo look about him. Blake had a small figure, slight by the looks of it, clad in all black. His fingernails were chipped with black paint down to the cuticles, and his light brown eyes were framed by a trace of black eyeliner that was smudged underneath, as if he'd run his thumbs over it. Contrary to his tough exterior, AJ could read a deep fear in his eyes every time they landed on Klaus. She often had to twist around in the front seat to even get a proper look at the poor werewolf, so she was almost certain Klaus hadn't noticed the growing nervousness in him.

But it was Klaus. He probably just knew.

Blake had been leading a pack that gathered in Portland for several years now, despite the fact that he was only in his mid-twenties. A full moon was coming upon them and he had mentioned where the pack would meet. It seemed that even in all that time, he hadn't grown as fond as his pack as Ray had been for his own.

AJ wasn't certain if she saw this as a good or a bad thing. Maybe more importantly, she wasn't sure which side in herself was uncertain.

On one hand, Blake spared himself from being tortured for the endless hours Ray had been. The gore of that night came back to haunt AJ, eliciting a shiver to run down her spine. She remembered how she had only made things worse by lying to Ray—she hadn't realized the full extent of why Klaus went looking for the werewolf in the first place. She hadn't realized what it would lead to. Yet she still played a part in it.

That's what bothered her about the other side of this situation. Although Blake had been more than willing to disclose the location of his pack, he had only signed their death sentences by doing so. Some blood had been spared for buckets.

What could she do to make things different this time?

Glancing at Klaus out of the corner of her eye, she grew sad. This was all he ever wanted: to belong, to have others of his kind. To not be alone anymore. Was he so blinded by this century-old plan that he couldn't see her, why she was with him? That he was no longer alone?

The sun fell lower and lower in the sky, stroking the sparse clouds above with pastel oranges, pinks, and purples. The sunset always captivated AJ. She watched it until a large river appeared on the other side of the interstate, leading them straight into the city.

Buildings towered high above, glittering with light that reflected off the river enchantingly. Her heart sank as they drove away from it all, towards a span of forest a ways off in the distance. As they drew nearer, she came to realize it was more or less of a desolate campground.

She knew that Klaus was eager to leave the confines of the truck. As soon as they had pulled to a stop, he was outside, giving Blake an impatient look through the window. AJ paused and turned back to the werewolf before he could open his door.

"Stay here," she directed as kindly as she could before shoving her own door open and dropping to the leaf-littered ground. She walked around to Klaus, whose eyes were rapt on her movement. For a moment, she thought, he might have forgotten about the prospect of these werewolves and what they could mean to him. It had just been her. Just for a moment. But then he frowned.

"What are you doing? Night will be falling soon. We should make this quick to avoid a repeat of history."

AJ gave him a wry smile. "Yes, I'd like to avoid getting locked in the truck again." She paused again, biting her lip. "Klaus, you don't have to do this," she said in a lower, more somber tone.

"Darling," he brushed dark strands of hair from her eyes. "I told you it won't be the same. Things will work this time. They shall live."

AJ shook her head sadly. "But how do you expect them to live?"

He seemed to consider this. "There is nothing more invigorating than having power. People crave power all their mortal lives, and I can grant it to them. They'll live with content."

"What about love?" she inquired softly. "You don't think love could be stronger than power?"

He gave a small smile. "I thought you knew. Love _is_ power."

"And you actually believe that?"

He traced her jaw line with his finger. "You've made me believe crazier things."

AJ searched his eyes and found openness within them. She wanted to step closer, but had to force herself to step out of his reach instead. It worried her to no end that giving in to any sort of wanting would be the catalyst to stirring her darker side, to drawing it out further.

"I want you to know something," she said, "before you do this. I want you to know this, and then you can decide."

"Decide what?"

"If you'll want to continue."

A line appeared between his eyebrows. "And what is it you'd like for me to know?"

AJ took a deep breath. She grasped his hands and held them close to her. "You can make them into hybrids, Klaus. I know you can now. And I know you want to. But just because they would be _like_ you, doesn't mean that they would _understand_ you. Not the way I do."

Klaus looked away, his eyes settling on some far off thing. Then his gaze turned back to her, traced down her neck and stopped at his gift to her, the sun pendant. She could see that, behind whatever he might be thinking right now, his decision had already been made. She swallowed hard. He squeezed her hands gently before letting them go.

"I wish it were as simple as that."

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><p><strong>Oh, I wonder how long they can try to keep their hands off each other before they simply can't. (-; So I've been spending a lot more time with these chapters (editing, more fully developing plot and subplot on an actual piece of paper instead of mapped out in my head) so I hope this chapter worked out well. Thoughts? I'll try to keep with the more regular updates (with your help, of course!) especially since we're all deprived of being able to watch our favorite vampires on the screen! (-: Please review! <strong>


	19. Thorned Rose

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: Thank you **_**so**_** much for the reviews! You guys seriously contribute to this story more than you know! (-:**

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><p><strong>Nineteen<strong>

Blake's hair was no longer meticulously separated into dark spikes, as it had been when AJ had first seen him. Now it was a disheveled mess with the shine of hairspray and gel whenever the sparse bit of sunlight left shone on it.

He stomped down a slope, headed deep into the woods. They had left what little of a campground there had been several minutes ago; although, AJ still spotted a trace of it here and there. A menacing looking merry-go-round worn with red and yellow paint rotated slowly with a despairing creak in a tangle of overgrown brush a ways off the untendered path. It put thoughts of horror movies in her head and made her glance about the shaded forest with some paranoia.

She had tried being as kind as possible to the edgy werewolf, but it seemed no kind words would quell his unease. He was sweating profusely, which was odd considering there was no heat in the forest. There was only a parasite-like cold that purloined what little warmth AJ had, forcing her to move as close as she could to Klaus, who seemed to emanate heat at all times.

Maybe it was just the desire she had for him that made it seem so. Still, she had to admit to herself that she didn't mind one bit allowing them to touch and linger that way. Neither had spoken of it, but she felt an odd tension rise up between them. It only served to make her insides colder.

Klaus would glance up at the darkening cobalt sky every time there was a break in the canopy. AJ could read the apprehension in his eyes and could guess why. The last time she had been with him up in a mountain on a full moon, beset with werewolves gathered about, things had not turned out well. Apart from her life being endangered, those he had been bent on changing were all killed by his hand.

She didn't fully approve of what he was trying to achieve, but her heart stung with sadness at the thought of him having to destroy the only creatures that had been like him. They had been abominations—they weren't supposed to exist in nature. But Klaus existed. She didn't think that of him. It was a headache-inducing thought.

Uncontrollable shivers took over her body as they descended deeper into a valley. A white mist ghosted over the forest floor, curling into wisps at her ankles. She had to clench her teeth together to keep them from rattling.

Klaus slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She glanced up at him briefly to find his eyes on hers, but quickly looked away. Still, she burrowed into his side as they walked.

"How much further?" Klaus demanded of the werewolf, who stiffened at his voice. Blake's step faltered before he continued on without a look over his shoulder.

"Not much," Blake managed to say. "A few minutes."

AJ felt dread swell in her heart. She didn't realize it for a moment, but she was gripping Klaus's hand. Instead of looking at him again, she kept her eyes on the ground.

Would he really go through with this? She couldn't get what he had said before they started this trek out of her head:

_I wish it were as simple as that._

What did he mean? He had looked as lonely and as hesitant as she had ever seen him in that moment, confusing her further. Lately, he had been very open with her, she knew. But would he ever be completely honest? Would she ever be rid of that strange feeling that he was lying to her about something important? The feeling had stuck with her ever since she had seen the illusion of herself. Maybe it was like he said. Maybe the spirits were just trying to cause contention between them.

She felt him squeeze her hand and looked up at him, only to find him missing from sight and touch. Then, an instant later, he returned. His arm wrapped around her again, only this time he held a rose out to her, the deep color of blood.

AJ blinked at the rose and then at him before cautiously accepting it. It was a wild rose, adorned with razor-tipped thorns. They only seemed to add to its beauty in a precious, untainted way. A rose without thorns was hardly a rose at all.

"What's this for?" she asked, her voice low as the wind stirred up around them, rustling the leaves overhead.

There was a faint smile on Klaus's lips. "Didn't you know? Portland is the City of Roses. I thought it was only apt." His eyes fell on the rose and a reminiscent expression overtook his face. "Rebekah loved those when she was just a girl."

AJ held onto the rose, keeping it close to her chest as she once more huddled close to him. "She did? You mean… when she was human?"

"Yes," he said. "Believe it or not, but she was much gentler back then. Less angry at the world or obsessed with beauty."

AJ wasn't sure if she could picture it. She chalked it up to just being stubborn. "Has she called you back yet?"

Klaus appeared grim. "No. Not yet."

"Do you think something's happened?" she asked, suddenly a little worried. She had hardly known the stunningly beautiful (and catty) Original, but she was Klaus's little sister. "Would your father have—"

Klaus put a finger to her lips. "Not now." He was eyeing Blake warily. "Another time, love."

Blake was coming to a stop in a gnarled clearing. Trees rose precariously around it, becoming mere silhouettes against the sky. The entire scene seemed to have a sense of disorder about it, like nature had taken its course and looted what had once contained manmade things, replacing it with its own. Traces of the campground were evident in an old light structure entwined with ivy and there were the remnants of a rubbled building far off in view.

There were no werewolves in sight.

Blake's back stayed facing them determinedly. His shoulders were tense and he seemed almost as motionless as a vampire could be. At his sides, his hands were clenched into pale white fists. The cold seemed to lack an effect on him.

Klaus stepped away from AJ, his face tight with anger. No longer was he the sweet, softer Klaus; the Klaus that would think to offer her a rose or consider what might have become of his baby sister. Now he was the lethal, dangerous Klaus. Her heartbeat picked up instantaneously.

"We're not taking a break, mate," Klaus said in an even tone, challenging. He stepped around Blake until he faced the werewolf. "Keep moving."

Blake said nothing. His eyes were glued to the ground.

"Where are my wolves?" Klaus demanded, his voice as sharp as the thorns on the rose. "I thought I made it very clear to you that this wasn't an option. Take me to them. Now." He stepped in Blake's face, making the werewolf flinch back.

"Klaus," AJ spoke up, warning. "We can still turn back. There's plenty of time—"

"No," he said bitingly, his eyes dark, never leaving Blake. "It seems I should have thought over your willingness to give up your pack mates, hmm? I suppose it worked out well for you earlier, with my attentions being casted elsewhere." AJ didn't have to hear him say it to know he meant her. "You're clever, I'll give you that. It's too bad, though. I was feeling quite merciful towards you, to not draw out your death. It seems that you have changed my mind."

Before Blake could even move, Klaus used his supernatural speed to throw him against the long-forgotten light post, snapping it in half as Blake's body fell cringingly on top of it. Klaus made to move towards him again, but AJ quickly grasped his arm.

"Klaus," she pleaded. "This isn't the way. Please don't do this."

Her touch seemed to freeze him in place. Although he wouldn't meet her eyes, she could see the indecision within them.

"Klaus," she tried again, quiet. "Things can be different this time. You don't have to hurt anyone."

"You're right," he said slowly, his eyes returning to Blake, who was now sitting up and clutching his ribs. "Things can be different this time. But in case you hadn't noticed, love, the moon has risen. There isn't much time left."

AJ looked up through the canopy. The milky glow of the full moon would have been enchanting if it didn't mean that werewolves would reign the night. "You mean—"

"I mean," Klaus enunciated precisely, his voice dark, "this is a trap. Isn't it Blake? You wanted us up here when your pack changed."

Blake was sitting fully upright now. The ribs he had clutched now seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever, like they had healed quickly. Though he still seemed timid, even fearful in Klaus's presence, there was a hint of victory in the werewolf's eyes. He stared at AJ.

"I heard rumors," Blake said in a low tone, "that you had a girl with you. A human girl. I thought I'd take my chances."

Klaus's smile was wicked. "What poor thinking on your part, then. She cannot be harmed, which means I am not open to negotiating some kind of truce with your pack. I am a hybrid, you fool. Nothing will touch her."

Blake narrowed his eyes that were now glowing a golden-yellow. AJ could see them through the thickening darkness. Claws protruded from his fingertips, digging deep into the earth below him, curling to his hand. As if on cue, a howl rang out back up in the valley.

His pack had already changed.

"I heard something else, too," Blake said. His speech was imposed by the canines that had grown in his mouth. "Something about that necklace of hers and woodland spirits. She's not supposed to be here, is she?"

Klaus automatically stepped in front of AJ, his shoulders squared. "A useless threat. I'll have you all killed within seconds."

Now Blake smiled, and it was sinister with his canines pressing down into his bottom lip and his eyes aglow. "I'm not an idiot. You want hybrids. We're the largest pack you'll find in the country, and I think you know that. I guess this is where my fate truly rests with you. Will you choose making hybrids or your girlfriend's life?"

AJ swallowed hard. She now saw Blake's angle, clear as day. He was trying to turn Klaus against her. What with the thin ice they had been walking on for some time now, she wasn't sure what Klaus's reaction would be. Glancing down at the rose she still held, she wondered if soft and sweet Klaus could still thrive beside harsh and cruel Klaus.

Blake cried out in agony, then, as his bones twisted and contorted with his shift. The process wasn't as slow as AJ had hoped for. Klaus turned to her slowly, his blue eyes the color of steel and permeated with the same abstruseness. She backed up, one step at a time, uncertain of his intentions. Her fingers seemed to vibrate with her fight-or-flight instincts.

"AJ," he said. "You should run. Now."

AJ blinked. "But—"

A twig snapped behind Blake. Behind him were several pairs of glowing eyes. Her eyes darted between them and Klaus.

"Love," he said, urging. "Go."

* * *

><p>The forest was a tangle of dead underbrush. AJ found herself periodically tripping over roots, vines, logs, and sticks. She didn't know what Klaus had planned, but she knew he had <em>something<em> planned. No one ever outsmarted him. He would figure something out.

It was as if someone had placed black sheets up all around her. She could hardly see a thing, save for the few bits of places where moonlight seeped down and lit things with a ghastly radiance. She had set off in a dead sprint, having no clue whatsoever where she was headed. Now she felt stupid for making such a rash decision. But it wasn't as if she had the time to ask for directions, considering the werewolves had begun descending upon them.

The thought of someone trying to turn Klaus against her had never crossed her mind. If she didn't loathe Blake so much in this moment, she would think he truly was very clever. The whole time she had spoken with him, she hadn't gotten the slightest hint of an ulterior motive off of him. He had fooled her.

Things had happened so quickly, though, that she hadn't truly had time to assess the threat at hand. Before entering the forest, she had known it would be somewhat of a risk. The spirits flourished in woodland areas. Her necklace hadn't even been removed earlier that day and yet they had found a way to hijack her brain and make her see things. But she had thought Klaus's presence would keep them away. Stumbling alone through the alien forest wasn't something she had anticipated.

Blake had threatened to have her necklace removed so the spirits could get to her. But how could he possibly know about that? Did news of that sort travel through the supernatural world? Or was there something else about Blake they were missing?

When Klaus had moved to turn to her, she had almost been certain he was willing to sacrifice her in order to have his hybrids. What would he think of her, knowing she could doubt him like that?

Was it such a good idea to mull these things over during her escape?

By now, she was panting for breath. Something about this forest made her feel uneasy, like there were eyes on her at all times. She was coming to a significant sized tree up ahead and stopped when she reached it, trying to breathe in as silently as she could as she listened to her surroundings.

Nothing. She heard nothing but the flutter of the leaves in the wind. Then another howl came from behind her, back where she had left Klaus. It was more of a cry than anything else. A cry for help.

AJ was torn between heading back and helping the werewolves and trying not to become their next meal. What was it like to have such raw animal instincts take over one's mind? Could they think straight?

She had no answer to that question. Darting forward again, she knew she had to get moving. Klaus's unusually steel-colored eyes came back to her as she pushed on. What had he been thinking? What was he thinking right now—what took all of his attention so that she had to make her escape on her own?

Another terrible cry of a wolf. It was closer this time, but not close enough to put her in any imminent danger. What was Klaus doing?

When it suddenly dawned on her, she had to force herself not to stop. _Klaus was changing them_. But how? How could he find a way to change them after they shifted into wolf-form already? Would it even work?

She felt sick to her stomach. He had the ingredient he needed for it to work—Elena's blood. It hadn't bothered her much before, but now she could only be glad she hadn't eaten anything in hours. She would wretch if she had.

He would feed them Elena's blood.

Pushing herself forward faster, she tried to clear her mind of racing thoughts. There had to be a way out of this forest. She had to move quickly, especially if he was changing them right now. They would have bloodlust that couldn't be sated by just a few sips of Elena's blood. It would take much, much more.

Her boot caught on a knot of tree roots just at her ankle, throwing her forward into a patch of dirt. She held her arms out in front of her to break the fall. When she did, a throbbing sting went through her right hand. She looked down at it in surprise.

It was silly, really, that she had forgotten all about the rose Klaus had given her and yet she had made certain to hold onto it. Maybe it was the fact that it was such a sweet gesture from him, she could bear to turn it down.

Now, in the middle of a dark and foreign forest crawling with werewolves and quickly turning hybrids, she found she couldn't breathe properly.

When he had first handed it to her, she noticed how sharp the thorns were. They were as sharp as any tip of a knife. Now her hand was a bloody mess. It was a beacon for the hybrids to find her. From what she had seen last time, they moved very quickly. There would be no escape for her.

She wanted Klaus by her side now more than ever.

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><p><strong>What do you think of this chapter? For those of you who are concerned, I do like AJ and Klaus together, very much. There will be more AJKlaus to come! Review and make my day? (-:**

**Also, I'm open to any thoughts on what should happen from here, or when they return to Mystic Falls. I always love to hear your ideas to see how I can intermingle them with my own. So if there's something you'd really like, let me know? **

**Review! **


	20. Emotional Dilemmas

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, this took me much longer than I originally intended. I had tons of makeup exams and papers this past week. Many thanks for the awesome reviews! I've got some ideas brewing, plus I can't wait to reveal a certain something to you guys. R&R! (-:**

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><p><strong>Twenty<strong>

Klaus's hatred for the werewolf grew as he watched Blake struggle to stay in his human form just to continue smirking. The instinct to simply twist the wolf's neck urged at him several times, but he forced himself to stay in control. If all went well, he would get his way. AJ would be safe and he would have his hybrids.

"I have to say," Blake said, sounding strangled as he restrained another quiver of the shift, "I didn't think you'd choose her, man. I thought you were supposed to be ruthless."

"And I thought you were supposed to be a bit clever," Klaus said. "Remaining in your human form at this point hardly seems very smart. I could change you in a second."

"She's not safe out there, you know," Blake continued on, ignoring Klaus's words. Foolish wolf. "I told you I have a large pack. They like to spread throughout the forest. It's easier to let the wolf just takeover and go after whatever prey there is. That's why we come here. It's easier to kill. People don't usually come by, but…"he trailed off, his smirk growing.

Klaus remained impassive. "I'll call your bluff. Your only leverage is believing that I want to make hybrids badly enough that I might allow anyone who dares to lay a hand on her live. Even if the threat so much as passes your lips, I'll kill you. All of you." He said it louder, looking at the wolves slowly stepping from the shadows around him. There was only about seven or eight, making him doubt his own confidence thinking that Blake was lying. Packs almost always had at least a dozen.

Blake barked a laugh through his pain, sounding like a strangled dog. "Man, you are so far gone for her. Do you realize that? Besides, you can't touch us in wolf form. That means you can't make hybrids. I think you should be more worried about your girl right now than anything else."

Klaus glowered at Blake before stepping towards a werewolf to his right, his eyes trained on the supernatural creature. It looked back at him with a mixture of fear and anger in its glowing yellow eyes. Instead of holding its ground, it slowly edged back. Klaus, of course, was faster. He quickly slammed his fist into the wolf's head so hard that it howled plaintively as it fell to the ground, limp and unconscious, making the rest of its pack mates jump back. Klaus smiled.

"You see," Klaus said smugly, kicking the fallen wolf with his boot, "there's a flaw in your theory, mate. Did you know that on a full moon, being driven to pain is what truly brings forth the transformation from human to wolf? So tell me, clever wolf, what happens when one can't feel that pain?"

Blake blinked at the limp form of his pack mate on the ground. Instead of backing off, his face was a pinch of anger. "That's not possible. It isn't—"

Blake stopped short as he watched the wolf's bones reconstruct into a human's. A woman with short red hair lay on the ground, her eyes lulled back into her head.

The wolves that had begun to surround Klaus now drew back slowly, cautiously. His eyes had never left Blake's. "Did you really think you could best me?"

In a flash, Klaus had torn open the vein at the base of his wrist and crouched to the ground, forcing his blood into the woman's mouth. Blake gave a futile yelp as Klaus nimbly twisted her neck, making the bones snap like firecrackers. Leaving the body behind, Klaus advanced towards Blake.

Blake stumbled backwards, his face pale with fear. He tried shifting into wolf form as fast as possible, still struggling to speak as he did. "Elizabeth," he said quickly, his canines garbling the words. His eyes quickly flashed to a werewolf several paces to his left, seemingly stuck between staying and running. "Elizabeth, get the girl. It's our only chance, you have to get her. Now!"

Klaus chuckled darkly. The werewolf, Elizabeth, howled as she made to dart away, but he knocked her sideways into the trunk of a large tree. She slid down it, almost instantaneously changing back to human form.

"I don't think so, mate," Klaus was in front of Blake in a flash, standing before him almost with a casual demeanor. "Now what did I tell you?" Blake shifted his bones more, trying to change quickly. Klaus's look was murderous. "It seems I'll just have to make an example out of you."

Blake couldn't make a sound; he was too stunned. Klaus's hand shot forward, his fingers breaching human flesh and bone before meeting the very life-force that pumped blood through their veins. Slowly, drawing out the pain that made the werewolf's eyes fall back in his head and exposed the whites, Klaus wrapped his fingers around the organ, feeling it pulsate in his fingertips. He squeezed harder and harder until it exploded in Blake's chest. Klaus withdrew his hand. Gore blossomed at the front of the werewolf's tattered shirt like a flower and clung to Klaus's hands grotesquely.

Having gotten so caught up in the raw anger he felt, Klaus hadn't realized how labored his breathing sounded until then, how tightly his teeth were ground together, how tense and rigid he was at the thought of someone, _anyone_ laying a hand on AJ. However, the emotional distraction had made things far worse than what they'd been.

After witnessing the viscous murder of their pack leader, the other wolves had taken to the woods. After AJ.

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><p>Somehow, the forest had grown colder in the ensuing silence. It was yet another reminder that Klaus wasn't beside her.<p>

AJ clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering. The air she breathed out was a foggy white puff in front of her. Inside her chest, her heart was filled with adrenaline, making her senses acute. Every rattle of branches, every flutter of wings, snapping of twigs and crunching of leaves froze her in place. Something was watching her. She could feel it.

Once she realized she wasn't alone, she'd taken cover behind the large tree trunk, hiding the tresses of its shadows. It did her little good considering she was being hunted down by nocturnal creatures that saw ten times better than she did in the dark. But little good was better than none at all.

Lifting her throbbing bloodied hand to Klaus's sun pendant, she tried letting its serenity envelope her. It didn't work.

A stick broke behind her, deep inside the unbroken darkness of the forest that stretched endlessly before her. In a patch of moonlight just a foot away, she saw the crumpled rose on the littered forest floor. Petals had fallen off, mimicking pools of blood. Soon, that would be her blood.

She crouched low and tried to compose a plan. What did she have that would work as a weapon? Normally she'd go right to her boot for the switchblade she always carried—except she hadn't carried it since going on the road with Stefan and Klaus.

That left her with nothing.

Another _snap!_ Only this time, it was closer.

Where are you, Klaus?

The silhouette of bushes in front of her rustled. She tensed and held her breath, bracing herself for what would lunge out at her.

A woman strode out, clothed only in a long sleeved shirt that went mid-thigh. AJ blinked. The woman's short red hair shone like copper in the moonlight. Her eyes fell on AJ immediately. They were swollen with bloodlust.

"Oh _shit_," AJ breathed. So Klaus had found a way to still make hybrids. Of course he did.

The woman grinned sickly at her before using supernatural speed to drive forward and attack. AJ saw canines flash right before they struck the skin at her neck, tearing into the flesh like white-hot metal singeing it. She didn't scream, but struggled to pull out of the woman's strong grasp. Her vision spotted and faded as she felt her blood slowly flow out of her. Death seemed imminent.

A midnight black werewolf coming to her rescue had been the last thing she had anticipated. It loped out of the shadows, its paws striking the woman hard until she ripped her fangs from AJ's flesh and fell to the forest floor under the werewolf's weight.

AJ gasped for air and staggered forward gracelessly, unbalanced from blood loss. She rounded the tree, her back facing the hybrid and werewolf as she leaned against the rough bark and tried to assess the damage. Blood coated her left side, dripping in rivulets from the tips of her red-gloved fingers to the ground.

When she heard a wolf's whimper from behind, she whipped around. Nausea rolled over her from the movement. She quickly ignored it as she took note of the fact that the hybrid had won the scuffle and the werewolf was crumpled on the ground, dead. Slowly, she backed up, placing one foot carefully behind the other. She heard another growl from behind. Freezing, she fixated her glower at the hybrid.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she found that she stood between another werewolf and the hybrid. Probably the now dead werewolf's friend; although this one didn't seem to be very eager to come to her rescue. From her position, she felt like they were playing monkey-in-the-middle.

Only whoever caught the monkey could eat it.

AJ considered this as both creatures rushed at her from either side. In a flash, she bent to the ground and wrapped her fingers around the thorned rose. The pain was nothing compared to what she'd felt a moment ago.

Bringing the stem up, she grated it against the hybrid's face, drawing a sheet of blood from the gash. Then she pulled the hybrid forward by the front of her shirt and ducked out of the way as it fell in bafflement to the ground.

The werewolf darted in front of her and snarled as she moved to run. Panting for breath, she stared into its mesmerizing gold eyes. The pause its bared teeth gave her was enough for the hybrid to stand and grab her from behind, pinning her arms together painfully. A sense of hopelessness descended upon her.

The hybrid leeched the blood from her neck once more. It seemed that within the werewolf's gold irises, it was reveling its victory. So it was a team effort, then.

AJ thought another hybrid was joining them before she realized who it was. Then again, he _was_ a hybrid.

Klaus hit the woman so hard that she flew through the air before crashing to the ground further away. Blood stained the front of Klaus's shirt as well as his hands. His eyes were dark and piercing.

In a futile attempt to run, the werewolf turned its back on Klaus, giving him the opening he needed to strike it unconscious. An eerie silence followed, not even filled by crickets. He was tense, completely motionless as he assessed the scene. AJ was left staring at him blankly.

His eyes fell upon the wound at her neck and they grew infinitely darker, angrier. It only served to remind her of how weak and sleepy she felt. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she didn't even realize her knees buckled beneath her until Klaus's hands were on her hips, pulling her close to his body. She allowed the contact, resting her head against his shoulder as her eyes drooped even more.

"Where have you been?" Her question came out somewhat slurred.

Klaus kept one arm around her waist and cradled her head with his hand so that he could look at her. "Drink," he ordered after he tore open the vein at his wrist and held it to her mouth. AJ only peeked one eye open before complying. Her mind was too groggy to fight.

When she finally pulled away, she made a face. "Do you think drinking your blood this often makes me a vampire to some extent? I feel like a vampire." Her strength slowly returned to her and the sleepiness wore off. He didn't answer her purposely tactless question, so she opened her eyes and studied him. His hair was mussed and his lips were pressed into a tight line. "Where have you been?" she asked again.

"Sending you out here alone was a colossally foolish idea on my part," he admitted after a second through clenched teeth.

"I don't disagree." She was feeling more than a little flippant. Maybe it was the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. "I bet it gave you a great opportunity to create your hybrids, though. I couldn't help but notice." Stiffly, she gestured to where the woman had bit into her neck with the driest smile she could muster. She pulled out of his touch.

"AJ—"

"Don't," she said quickly, facing away from him. She wiped her bloody hands off on her jeans. "Just don't. Please. I get it, so you don't need to explain."

"Then let me apologize."

Pressing the heels of her palms to her eyes, she shook her head. "No," she said with more force than she intended. "I just need to be able to think, okay? That's it."

He stepped in front of her and gently pulled her arms away from covering her face. "I understand, now, what you meant before we came out here."

"I'd hardly say that matters anymore."

"I disagree."

"I really don't care what you think, then."

Klaus sighed and stared at her silently, pressing her to simply speak to him. Setting her jaw, she refused to say anything for several minutes until it occurred to her that she wanted to make a point more than she wanted to be stubborn.

"Tell me something." She gazed up at him openly. "Did you turn them? All of them? Before you came here?"

He paused. "It seemed to be the best idea."

She wrenched out of his grasp again, her mouth screwed into a frown. "Right. Because it's better to have a bunch of bloodthirsty hybrids running around than werewolves. Your logic is irrefutable."

Klaus grew mildly agitated. "If you would let me speak about it, maybe you'd understand. I'm not trying to make you angry."

"I'm not angry."

"Yes you are."

"Okay, so I am," she deadpanned. "So what?"

"So you let me apologize." He almost sounded pleading. "It won't happen again."

AJ bit her lip hard, almost drawing blood. The red headed hybrid stood a distance away, watching them inexpressively. A successful hybrid—one that survived the transformation, just like Tyler had. Her heart ached when she thought of him.

"You're wrong," she said hollowly. "As long as they're around, it will happen again."

Klaus stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. She didn't pull away from him, but knew there was nothing left to say. What could she possibly say now? It's me or the hybrids? That sounded ridiculous even in her head. She simply allowed her eyes to close and leaned into his touch.

His phone rang shrilly, startling her. He withdrew it from his pocket and glanced at the caller ID. His face was unreadable.

"It's Stefan."

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><p><strong>Thoughts? Kindly review. (Constructive criticism is always welcome, of course.) <strong>

**P.S. The more I see of Kol, I can't help but think up a story for him, too. Maybe it's a horrible thing that I seem to like the most unstable guys on the show… Still, he'd make a great story! (-;**

**P.P.S. An update for my other stories are coming up! Just thought you'd want to know.**

**(-:**


	21. Lover's Quarrels

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: My apologies for how ridiculously long it took to update! I've been working out some kinks in the plot, and playing with some tweaks in writing styles between this story and my new Means of Persuasion fic. Not to worry, though! I will not abandon this story. I'm so thankful that you guys are sticking with this. You're all amazing! (-:**

**Also, you guys can follow me on tumblr and shout at me what's up. camrynrose13 dot tumblr dot com**

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><p><strong>Twenty One <strong>

"Don't tell me," AJ said facetiously, her arms folded over her chest. She looked sidelong at the hybrids walking through the clearing around them, her eyebrows knitted together as she scowled. It was as if they hadn't all just been killed. As if life was its usualness, and death was nowhere in sight. "We're all taking a bus back to Mystic Falls for some hybrid bonding time."

Klaus gave her a considering look, and then smirked. "I think I rather like it when you're jealous."

AJ's expression soured. "Don't be ridiculous."

"If I might remind you, you're the one throwing a fit," he said pointedly, clenching his teeth at the thought of all her nasty comments he'd endured thus far into the day, without so much as lashing out at her in return. "You haven't said a kind word all morning."

"All things considered, I think I've been as nice as you deserve," she growled out, her scowl returning. She turned her head away from him, scrutinizing a hybrid approaching the two. She thought his name was Daniel—one of Klaus's more favored.

The idea probed a scoff from her. Hardly half a day had passed since the hybrids were turned, and already Klaus preferred one over another. How ludicrous was that?

She _wasn't_ jealous.

Daniel stepped up to Klaus, paying AJ no mind whatsoever, and asked for instructions. Klaus's eyes narrowed at AJ, but he said nothing and instead turned and directed the hybrids to pack up to leave. He was well aware of the position he'd put her into the previous night, yet still hadn't been allowed to apologize properly for his actions. Even after finally achieving what he had for so long wanted, he felt more alone than ever, seeing her eyes a thousand miles away. He reached out to touch her arm, but she pulled back. Irritation mixed with his regret.

AJ remained silent as her eyes perused the clearing the hybrid, Elizabeth, had led them to once they'd all been rounded up, excluding Blake. She didn't have to ask what happened to the pack leader. Immense loathing had imbued Klaus's eyes when a newly transitioned hybrid had brought it up. Now as she looked around them, she noticed that camping gear was strewn about in a haphazard attempt at some organization, all mostly unused and unopened. Beyond the clearing was an arc of cars, starting up one by one as hybrids loaded into them.

"What if we come across roadkill on the way?" She continued to muse. "Will their newly heightened senses for bloodlust hijack their brains and they'll all scramble to get it first? I'd like to see you try to sort _that_ out."

"AJ," he said tersely. "Is there something you'd like to say? I always thought you preferred bluntness." And he more preferred her to speak than be silent; however, as she continued to abuse him with her tongue, he felt his patience begin to slip.

"Right now, I'd prefer to make particularly jarring remarks until I get bored. I'm not bored yet."

"And if _I_ am?"

"Then I'll kindly advise you to get over it."

Klaus stepped up to her until their faces were just inches away, drawing the attention of the handful of hybrids still milling about as they collected the rest of their belongings. They still seemed utterly void of emotion and devoted to Klaus in a disturbing homicidal-suicidal way. One had almost broken AJ's arm when she'd smacked him earlier that morning. The redhead. She decidedly didn't like that woman.

Now, Klaus bent his head until his mouth was beside the shell of her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin. Her heartbeat spiked in her chest at this proximity, the sound enticing his fangs to slide down and press against his bottom lip. It'd been days since he'd fed last, and she was entirely too tempting. In more ways than one. "I get that you're frustrated, love, but there are more convenient ways to deal with that."

A shiver traveled up her spine while thoughts of only the other day made her throb. Still, she wasn't easily deterred. Running her fingers softly down his chest, she caught him off guard before she shoved him away and glared. "I get that you're sick, Klaus, but I really don't think I can help you with that."

"You seemed to think otherwise in Astoria."

Rolling her eyes, she countered, "It's not something we have to revisit."

He smiled impishly, ghosting the tips of his fingers over the curve of her jaw. "I'm not so sure, darling. When we get back to Mystic Falls, I think we could pick up where we left off."

AJ suppressed a huff at his endless innuendo. "Just get in the truck."

"As you wish. You're such a feisty little thing, you know that, darling? All the more endearing." He smiled wickedly down at her before stepping away.

Watching him go, she glowered at his back. If only looks could kill. After an entire night of bitter retorts to everything he had said, she still didn't feel as if she'd made much of a point. Now that they were on their way back to Mystic Falls, which Stefan _and_ Rebekah had apparently dubbed "safe" from Mikael, she felt less than certain about everything that was happening. Surely it wasn't it great idea to have hybrids anywhere near Elena. That counted Klaus, as well.

No, after what had happened, she wouldn't espouse their cause. What good could they possibly do? Why did he think he needed them—to fill the void of loneliness hollowed inside of him centuries ago? Maybe showing him more compassion would get him to understand he only needed her.

But she wasn't feeling all that compassionate after getting her throat gnawed on like a chew toy. If anything, she was a little bit grumpy.

"Any day now, love," Klaus said through the rolled down window behind her as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

"I'm sure that's what your mother said to your father when they were discussing your lack of maturity," she spat with a juvenile tone.

Finally, he looked pissed off. "Now you're just being childish."

She didn't care. The look on his face gave her a sense of triumph.

Score one, AJ.

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><p>Glaring nonstop at the road before them had become a futile attempt to ignore Klaus for the first several hours into the long drive. Now, as she listened to him talk to Tyler about some party to, in his words, "celebrate" his father's death, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to breathe. As much as she hated to admit it, it was harder being angry at Klaus than she realized; even if his view of certain things was rather… perverse.<p>

Her scowl returned as they turned onto an off ramp. In the side mirror, she could see the queue of cars following them. Once or twice she had wished a meteor would come crashing down upon them, obliterating their very existence. No such luck.

Now Mystic Falls was hardly a mile away.

A strange anxiety made her fingers move restlessly. She drummed them against her knee and chewed the inside of her lip. It was the fact that she was bringing danger too close to Elena, but it was also something else as well. Maybe it was Klaus's morbid way of showing no emotion other than joy at his father's passing. How could a thousand year old being still have such a dysfunctional relationship like that without ever having patched things up? Anger was something she was certain she could retain for quite some time, but a millennium?

Of course, no one had ever stabbed her through the heart to complete the transformation from human to the first vampires ever created. It was just one of those things, she supposed.

After passing the Grille, AJ felt her chest tighten. The town passed by them in what felt like a blur, and it wasn't long before they turned onto a road she wasn't very familiar with.

Klaus looked at her sidelong, his cheery mood replaced by one more brooding. She had remained upset and taciturn the entire drive. Not a single abrasive comment had been uttered, which served to trouble him a great deal more. The thought of death always made her disconsolate, that much he had learned about her very quickly. However, when Klaus slipped his fingers over hers, she didn't look so unreachable.

AJ tore her eyes from the scenery and gazed at him with uncertainty. This was a side of Klaus she was still adjusting to; the kinder, more caring side. Albeit it was the part of him that comforted her most, she couldn't help but question everything about him now. Perhaps it was Elena's proximity that made her second guess his intentions, but she'd be stupid not to anyway. After the previous night, it felt like all bets were off. She was just tired of being angry.

And yet, solely the feel of his skin made her want to quell such thoughts and focus on _other_ things. How could she ever know if it was her better side that yearned for him or her darker side? This alone prompted a much needed voice of topic.

"How can you be so happy about your father being dead?" The question left her lips before she even considered it, and she made haste to cover her tactlessness. "I mean, he's your father. Well, maybe not your _real_ father, but he raised you."

Klaus's expression was carefully blank. "He's been hunting me for a thousand years. It was either him or me. Which would you prefer?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know that's not what I mean."

When he looked at her, she was struck by how intense his gaze was, how suddenly vulnerable he looked. "Mikael was a monster I ran from out of fear," he said simply, raising her hand to his lips to place a soft kiss on. "But now I don't have to run anymore. I'm free."

AJ blinked, suddenly feeling pity for the boy Klaus had been—hated by the only father he'd ever known, denied by a mother who had still loved him in her own way. Every moment she spent with him felt like a new breakthrough, even if they had to take several steps back for her to see it. She squeezed his hand in return.

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><p>It was hard to ignore the hybrids' presence. AJ felt hyperaware of everything; but mostly, she could feel the heat of Klaus's hand on the small of her back as they studied the scene before them while the hybrids milled about, busy at work.<p>

Words had escaped her the moment they "arrived." Personally, she didn't feel as if they arrived to much of anything. Before them was a vast work site; by the way the walls had spots of plaster here and there, and some more barren walls were only ribs of wood showing through to other rooms, it was evident that the building was still underway. It was a monstrosity of a structure.

"Klaus," AJ said almost absently, her eyes roaming uncomprehendingly over the unfinished building. "What exactly are we looking at?"

He smiled, his expression taking on something oddly reminiscent, as if he weren't entirely seeing what was before them, but something else in its place. "Home."

Home. What a strange thing to hear him say, she thought. Her chest warmed at the idea.

His hand pulled away from her; she felt his absence in the chilliness that followed. Still, she watched as he headed towards what she supposed was the entrance: two grand doors stood erect, showing promise of what would soon be. Klaus stopped halfway there and beckoned to a hybrid, saying something about a dress. A moment later, the redheaded hybrid appeared—her lips in a snarl as she glanced at AJ—and handed Klaus a garment bag. AJ looked at it warily, as if it held poisonous snakes.

He handed the bag to her, careful to study her expression. AJ squinted back up at him.

"If this is lingerie, it's not my thing. Actually, I'm mildly offended you'd try to dress me in stupid frilly little—oh."

After giving her a smirk, Klaus had unzipped the bag, revealing an eggplant colored dress. It was short—thigh length, she assumed—with a strapless sweetheart neckline. The bodice was satin; beginning at the waist flounced a gossamer material. It was extravagant. Elegant. And completely unnecessary.

"What's the occasion?"

"Considering you don't approve of my methods of dealing with my father's death, I'll tell you it's for Homecoming."

Klaus always made reading between the lines easy. AJ frowned at the dress. "Purple isn't an appropriate color for a funeral."

"Not a funeral," he said, running his fingers through her hair fondly, handing the garment off to a hybrid to take into the house. "A celebration. Come with me, hmm?"

AJ stared at the now receding dress a moment longer, considering. Was Klaus up to something? Or was it as innocent—okay, maybe_ innocent_ was the wrong word—as he made it seem? He'd said he was finally free—was this celebrating the liberation of his father's fearsome memory? How could she say no to that, when she understood perfectly just how terrible it was to be chained to something so intangible? Lucas's memory had haunted her for years, endlessly.

He lifted his fingers to her face once more, stroking her cheek and watching her eyes. As angry as she had been at him, with good reason, she was glad to be so close to him. She leaned into his touch.

"It's just so _morbid_," she finally divulged, taking his hand in hers once more and gazing down at them. An idea came to her. "Promise me this won't be about his death," she said suddenly. "Make it about the new life you can have."

Klaus pressed a feather-light kiss to her forehead, elated at the simple state of her agreement. "I promise." His smiled turned mischievous as he turned her in his arms and pulled her against his chest, tucking her dark hair away to expose her neck. AJ conceded to his touch, leaning into his sturdy frame. He nipped at the sensitive skin below her ear, down her jaw. "I suppose I should start this night properly, then," he murmured, his breath hot, his hands even hotter as they slipped under her shirt.

Her eyes fluttered closed, but she tried to straighten. Being back in Mystic Falls brought things to a new light, and there were people she had yet to see. "It's going to get dark soon," she said in an uneven tone, feeling her head spin with desire that she tried to tug away from. "Are there any rooms finished that I can get dressed in?"

Smiling against her hair, he snaked his arm around her waist and led her to the front doors. It was a long drive, very stately, as it was beginning to shape into on the inside. AJ glanced around curiously as he led her through boney innards of the mansion, catching glimpses of elegance here and there. Some rooms, she found, were actually finished off, whereas others weren't even started yet. She wondered when he'd had the time to even purchase the property. Before they'd left?

Klaus had led her up a dubious looking staircase, which had been thankfully much more secure than it looked, and into a room awash with sunlight. She blinked around in surprise.

It was a bedroom, made obvious by the mammoth four poster bed sitting up against the hallway wall, taking up half the room. The black garment bag lay opened upon it, displaying the dress Klaus had picked for her. Large windows looked out at a field that was barren due to the wintry chill of the air outside, and the sun could be seen on its path to the horizon off in the distance. A floor length mirror sat in the corner, alongside a wide wardrobe and a door leading into a lavish bathroom.

"Oh," was all she said, having been far from expecting this.

Klaus was leaning against the doorframe, gazing at her in a way that made her veins electric with need. She swallowed and averted her eyes to the dress. "I'm going to take a shower, then," she said, making a beeline for the bathroom as if she could block out all the cravings stirring within her.

After firmly shutting the door from his knowingly smug look, AJ busied herself with cleaning up. She had smelled like pine from hiking all through the forest, and was happy to wash the smell away and replace it with vanilla. She had overlooked allowing the water to run cold in her haste to busy her thoughts. When she emerged from her purging, there was a lacy deep purple bra and pantie set waiting on the counter for her.

"Obvious much?" she muttered. She glared at the door, knowing full well he was outside. There was a faint sound, like a purr of satisfaction. As if he could sense her increasing arousal.

AJ acquiescently pulled the underwear on, knowing her only other option was less than desirable and would probably only serve to encourage him. Only a moment passed before she realized she'd left the dress on the bed in her rush to depart from his presence. She'd still have to face him half naked.

She edged the door open to glimpse into the room, hoping that maybe one of the hybrids had captured his attention.

They hadn't.

He lay reclined on the bed, his hands behind his head, his eyes on her. A half-second decision stemmed from pride caused her to open the door fully, and brazenly stride into the room. It was then that she became very, very aware of how scantily clad she truly was.

Her hand stopped reaching for the dress when she noticed the bed was newly devoid of her hybrid. She knew better than to think he'd given her space.

His warm body pressed up behind her, his hands gripping her hips and pulling her back into him. His arousal pressed into her back through the layer of his jeans. She had to bite her lip so a gasp couldn't escape her at the thoughts that followed, at how much she _wanted_ him now.

"I'd like to make up for last night," he purred into her ear. One hand remained grasping her hip; the other trailed its way up her body, to the flesh barely covered by her bra. "You never did let me apologize."

He kissed the nape of her neck before slowly turning her to face him. Trailing his mouth from her throat to her collarbone, he sucked hard enough to elicit a soft moan from her and gave a wicked grin when her body arced into him.

"Will you accept my

* * *

><p>apology?" he drawled, dipping his fingers below the thin fabric of her panties, sliding them just over the moisture. She whimpered, fighting both of her warring urges to give in or hold out. Klaus seemed to perceive this fragile reluctance, because he was then pushing his fingers into her and clutching her firmly against him, allowing no escape.<p>

At long last, she caved. The moment she relaxed her muscles, he captured her mouth in a fiery kiss, unlatching her bra in one swift movement before it slid to the floor. His tongue darted into her mouth, his fingers working her with increasing intensity until she was gasping. She was pushed back onto the bed, where he parted her legs and continued until she peaked, digging her fingernails into the hard muscles of his back.

A split second later and his clothes lay in a heap on the floor. His bare skin pressed against hers, his sensuous mouth moved from her collarbone to her breast. There was a hovering moment when his arousal lingered just before her entrance, and she moaned his name, encouraging him to continue.

Obliging to her pleading, he slid inside of her, fitting perfectly inside her warmth. She sunk her fingers into his hair, pulling him as close as she could as he moved inside her, covering his jaw with kisses. He made sounds of approval, his hands grasping her hips as he rocked into her, soon finishing together.

AJ was left breathless in his arms, a heavy sense of listlessness settling over her. Beside her, he lay on his side, his arm resting over her. His eyes were closed in a countenance of peace. Rolling onto her stomach, she watched him for a while, capturing this perfect moment in her mind. She knew, then, that he was hers; that she wanted nothing more than to see him content at last, free as he had said.

Just not at the price of someone else's life.

The reminder broke through her reverie, leaving her with a gaunt reality. She pecked a kiss to his cheek before sliding from the bed and getting dressed. She had somewhere to be.

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><p><strong>I'm probably going to be playing with the shows plot a little bit as we progress. I'm not absolutely certain about it right now, but there may be some things I'd like to change for the sake of this story. Anyway, there was a little bit of KlausAJ. I thought you guys deserved a little bit before things got more dramatic. Also, if you see any strange inconsistencies in this chapter, please don't hesitate to let me know. **


	22. Doubt Is No Stranger

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: Again, so sorry for the wait. I feel like I only have excuses for you guys. It's been some time since I've been inspired to continue this, and I didn't want to, lest it be totally horrible. I have many plans ahead. Thank you so much for the reviews! You can shout at me to continue and inspire me some more!**

**Review!**

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><p><strong>Twenty-Two<strong>

At the sight of Elena's house, relief flooded through AJ, a sweet feeling that loosened the tightness in her throat. Standing there on the sidewalk, the past several months seemed oddly surreal, as if they'd been nothing but a dream, a long-lasting nightmare. Of course, she didn't feel so resolute about _everything_ that had happened during her time away from Mystic Falls, but all the death she had witnessed was an incorrigible scar on her memory. Yet it had all been well worth it, if it meant her best friend was okay.

However, that wasn't the entire reason why she had left with Klaus in the first place. She found herself glancing around uneasily for Elijah, wondering what he'd think of her now. Ashamed didn't begin to cover how she felt about hurting him—she deserved to be hated for it. She deserved much worse. But she wouldn't rescind anything, because the only regret she had lay within the love she still felt for him, after all this time. She'd destroyed that love; taken it from him and used it as the very weapon that hurt him.

Unbidden, she wondered if it was possible to love two people at once. There were two halves to her soul, weren't there? She didn't want to consider the possibility that perhaps her polar sides had their predilections.

The deep purple dress fluttered in the wind, its fabric ghosting the skin on her thighs. Klaus had requested she wear it, so she wouldn't arrive late to the Lockwood mansion. He'd made somewhat of a sour look at her departure, his unwillingness to share her evidently growing with each day. She promised to meet him there on time.

First, she needed to see Elena. The thought of truly being able to see her best friend concretely created a flurry of childlike excitement within her. Without further hesitation, she crossed the yard and stepped before the front door.

Custom would typically grant AJ immediate uninvited access into the Gilbert house. But customs had faded away with distance, and she had no clue what to expect. With due respect she only offered those she truly admired, AJ rang the doorbell and waited as patiently as she could while sheer energy vibrated through her being. Eagerness exuded from her as she bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet. It had been too long since she last felt this way—like a teenager.

After several silent minutes passed by without any sign of movement within the house, AJ's shoulders fell in disappointment. No one was home. Or so she thought. To reassure herself of the assumption, AJ opened the front door—who locked their doors anymore when invited vampires could rip it off its hinges, or uninvited ones couldn't touch it?—and stepped into the house.

A sense of nostalgia immediately overcame her; she sucked in a quiet breath. Aside from the thin layer of dust covering the mostly unused furniture, everything looked exactly the same. This was the same house that had harbored her on many a dark night; the same house she and Elena had shared secrets in; the same house that had, alone, symbolized family and safety all before Elena's parents had died, before Stefan and Damon, Elijah and Klaus. This is where their friendship had begun, had been nurtured.

Yet, there was a loaded sense of emptiness radiating the space before her. This was not the same house she had left; it was not the same as it had been three years ago. It was hollow. A shell.

Shoving the thoughts into the back of her mind, AJ did a quick search through the rooms. Who knew what could happen anymore? For all she knew, Elena was bound and gagged somewhere, awaiting rescue.

But in fact, she wasn't. AJ had found the house void of all life-forms. A throbbing pang struck her heart when her eyes perused the old photographs of the group of friends together, but she couldn't look backwards. She had to keep moving.

There was only one other place that immediately came to mind for AJ to search.

She had returned to the car she borrowed from Klaus and drove determinedly down the winding road that led to the Salvatore home. The familiarity felt all too dreamlike. When the house came into view, her heart clenched.

Before allowing herself time to think, she parked and was at the door. This time, she threw all respect she felt she owed to the curb and threw the heavy door open, sauntering inside.

Her fingertips buzzed with uncontained excitement. Voices drifted into the wide hallway from the parlor. In an act without any forethought, AJ darted through the hallway and entered the parlor, eyes wild, smile almost silly.

Any sense of joy quickly dispersed, evaporating into the air. Her face fell immediately and her blood ran cold.

"Oh? And how do we know that we can trust you?" Damon was saying disbelievingly, his back turned to AJ whilst the other occupants of the room quickly discovered her presence. "Let's look at your track record, shall we? You've—"Damon stopped himself short upon noticing the gazes that fell behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, his eyes darkened when they met AJ's. "Well," he drawled slowly. "Guess we know who's officially back in town."

"Good to see you, too," AJ said tightly. Her eyes were trained on the stranger in the room: a well dressed man with an austere look and piercing eyes. The angles of his face resembled Elijah's, the cock of his head Rebekah's, and that gleam in his eyes Klaus's. This was the man from the memory-dream AJ had in Chicago—this was Mikael. They had been deceived.

She was not prepared for the sudden attack of hate provoked by the sight of him. Without consideration, AJ lunged forward.

Stefan had been a step ahead of her. Grabbing her arms, he pinned them behind her and held her at bay while she squirmed and fought his grip, blindly wishing to do this man harm. She felt like a feral animal trapped in a cage with its prey dangling just before her. And she wanted to bite.

"AJ," a voice breathed suddenly, so softly that AJ almost missed it. She stopped her futile efforts to fight Stefan and froze, her eyes falling on the one person who could bring back her rationality.

"Elena," she said, speaking the one name she hadn't dared to utter in months. Stefan released AJ as the other dark-haired girl approached and embraced her friend, holding her dearly, tenderly, as if she might slip from her fingertips and disappear once more. AJ held firmly on to Elena; suddenly everything horrible she had witnessed was brushed from her mind, and she was reassured that all was worth it. All was well.

The moment was short-lived, however. The instant Elena pulled back, AJ's eyes automatically fell back to Mikael. Rebekah was nowhere to be seen. The fear that had imbued Klaus's eyes the night they escaped Mystic Falls returned to AJ; if even Klaus feared this man, what was it he was capable of?

Mikael's eyes glinted. A small smile curved his lips. "Well. I see we finally get a proper introduction, Warrior."

"Don't call me that," AJ said from reflex. Her eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Elena's face folded in horror, suddenly; the others in the room straightened. AJ was tense, sensing the imminent danger treading close.

Mikael's smile grew. "Looking for you, actually."

Numb. That's how AJ felt. It was as if his words were muffled underwater, slowly reaching her ears. It only took few meager seconds for realization to click: he knew. He knew he could use her against Klaus.

Fleeing to the door was not an option. Neither was stabbing him. All she could do was stand there, returning his stone-like gaze, and try to think of something clever to say.

She had nothing.

Elena started towards her, her self-sacrificial instincts kicking in. "AJ—go!"

Mikael was much faster. He had AJ in a vice-like grip in the doorway, hesitating only to look back at the others with a warning look. "If you follow me," he said solemnly, "I will kill the doppelganger."

And then the world bled into itself as AJ's head spun.

She found herself on wobbly feet when Mikael stopped at last and released her. The world slowly settled into place around her, but she did not recognize where they were. Just inside a foyer, with the door still open. Mikael followed her gaze outside and stepped around her to close it resolutely.

She had hardly been in his presence for five minutes, and already she wanted to stake him. That was a record.

"It won't work," she said stubbornly, setting her jaw, squaring her shoulders. "Klaus doesn't care that much about me. He would have his hybrids over me any day."

There was an edge to the way Mikael regarded her; something slithering just beneath the surface. "I beg to differ," he divulged. It sounded more factual than haughty, reminding AJ of Elijah once more. She cringed, watching as he crossed the room with considering steps, his eyes tracing the stonework on the hearth before them. "From the things I've heard, he's quite taken with you. Klaus will realize your importance to him when it's challenged."

AJ shook her head. "You're wrong. It's been challenged. He chose them over me once already." The words, though she knew were true, stung her to her very core more than she could have ever imagined. When it came down to it, Klaus didn't care as much as she wanted him to. He still saw through warped glass when it came to love and belonging: he thought that by creating other creatures like him, he would feel complete. He couldn't see what was right in front of him.

"I suppose we'll just have to see, won't we?" Mikael said, drawing an ivory-colored stake out of his jacket. It was carved intricately, precisely. He traced the tip of it with his finger.

Swallowing hard, AJ tried to mask her expression. That object could puncture Klaus's heart and kill him for good; it could be his undoing. She had to get her hands on it.

"You're such a simple creature to have captivated the interest of two of my sons," Mikael commented, studying her pristinely. "You haven't even completed transition into the Warrior, yet. You're merely a gun without bullets. A tool to be discarded."

Her eyebrows came together as she replayed his words: _You haven't even completed the transition into the Warrior, yet_. Transition. "What are you talking about?"

"Your transition into a vampire," Mikael said, faintly amused at her ignorance. He quirked an eyebrow. "Did they not tell you?"

AJ couldn't breathe.

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><p>"You can't let this happen!" Elena shouted angrily, letting her panic overcome her. She looked from Stefan to Damon disbelievingly. "This is AJ we're talking about!"<p>

"She's a traitor," Damon said flippantly. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"She's my _friend_," Elena shot back. "Doesn't that mean anything to _you?_"

Stefan shifted; the waters were still precarious between him and Elena, but he wanted to diffuse the situation. "Letting Mikael take AJ was never part of the plan," he tried to reason with Damon, though weakly. He could see its uses.

Damon snorted. "You got a better one? 'Cause I'm all ears if you are. There's no other way to get to Klaus—she's his weakness."

Elena was plaintive, her eyes beseeching. "_No_. This isn't the way."

There was no sway to Damon's decision. He would turn off all emotion should he find the necessity to; he would sacrifice his friend for his love. Stefan no longer made an argument; he saw his brother's logic.

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><p>Klaus checked his watch for the fifth time in ten minutes. The party was in full-swing, but he had yet to see AJ. A strange sort of anxiousness bubbled within him: did she have regrets about him? Would she not return to him?<p>

He did not have to guess who she had gone to see. Elena had always played in the forefront of her mind, fraying at her nerves with worry, a symbol of reassurance when she was hopeless. But she had departed several hours ago and had yet to turn up. Her cell phone went straight to voicemail.

He was worried. And she could easily discover the death of Elijah. She could easily leave him.

No—he wouldn't let her.

After pacing another moment, paying hardly a mind to those mingling around him, his eyes fell Damon Salvatore. Elena was not with him.

Striding over to the young vampire, Klaus became impassive. Damon was not surprised to see him.

"Where is she?" Klaus questioned.

Damon made a show of looking confused. "Who?"

Temper flaring, Klaus slammed the dark-haired vampire into the nearest wall. They were nose to nose, glaring at one another. "Where is she?"

"Can't you take a hint, Klaus?" Damon mocked. "She's gone. AJ's a thrill seeker. I guess you don't thrill her too much anymore."

Klaus allowed the words to bounce off him easily, but not without a hint of lingering doubt. He gripped Damon's neck. "Tell me where she is," he gritted out, "or I'll find your doppelganger and rip out her heart."

The resoluteness wavered in Damon's eyes. His gaze fell on something behind Klaus for a millisecond, but that was long enough. Klaus darted back, stopping Stefan from making an escape.

"Stefan," he greeted with artificial friendliness. "Have you seen my girl?"

Stefan's lips tightened as he tried to refrain a response; he was still compelled by Klaus and at his mercy. His eyes flicked to Damon uneasily.

"Yes," Stefan answered simply.

Klaus arched an eyebrow, prompting. "Where is she?"

Struggling to bend his words, Stefan said, "She was at the house, earlier—"

Klaus's eyes narrowed; the veil Stefan wore to mask his resistance. "What are you hiding?"

Stefan ground his teeth together painfully, drawing blood into his mouth. Damon could only linger and watch as he prayed for a miracle. When Elena came into view at the top of the staircase several paces away, Klaus's patience had run out. AJ was not with her.

"Stefan," Klaus said carefully, his tone sharpened with knives. "Tell me exactly where AJ is this precise moment."

Pinching his eyes shut, Stefan struggled to breathe. It was imperative to hide this from Klaus until the moment was right, or the plan would fail. But he could not fight it—it was like an avalanche, pushing the words forth from his lips. "Mikael," he said in a strained tone. "She's with Mikael."

There only one thing Klaus hated more than being lied to and manipulated: his father.

Klaus broke Stefan's neck.

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><p><strong>Woah, things just got crazy. Hopefully this didn't seem rushed… I was just excited to write again. I can't wait to show you guys where this will go. (-: Please review and tell me what you think! <strong>


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